A Special Tribute to MPS and You, Colleague

August 2023

A Tribute to the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS):

The Pretrial and Probation Supervision Month Special Edition 2023

In This Issue:

1- National Night Out- Norfolk Juvenile POII Paul Nwokeji is honored

2- MPS Today: An Agency of Second Chances, Collaboration, and Resources

3- An MPS Statistical Glance

4- Five Questions with Matthew Murphy: Statewide Manager of Forensic Services

5- A Day in the Life of a Probation Officer: Suffolk Superior Probation Officer Ellen Winfrey

6- A Look at Pretrial, the Community Justice Support Centers, and Community Service

7- The Life and Times of John Augustus

8- UPCOMING

August 27-30

APPA’s 48th Annual Training Institute

New York City

October 16-20

The Massachusetts Trial Court’s 8th Annual Cultural Appreciation Week

Norfolk Juvenile Probation Officer II Paul Nwokeji

Is honored by Randolph Police on

National Night Out

Top photo: Norfolk Juvenile Probation Officer II Paul Nwokeji, Acting Commissioner of Probation Dianne Fasano, Norfolk Juvenile Judge Joseph Johnston, and Norfolk Juvenile Chief Probation Officer Reginald Vibert. PO Nwokeji's family, left to right: son, Tobechi; wife, Pam, and Mr. Nwokeji. Third photo: Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag presents Mr. Nwokeji with award.

Norfolk Juvenile Probation Officer II Paul Nwokeji was presented with an Award of Appreciation by the Randolph Police Department at a ceremony held at Belcher Park in Randolph during National Night Out. National Night Out, held on the first Tuesday in August, is a recognition of community partnerships.

MPS Today: An Agency of Second Chances,

Collaboration, and Resources

As Pretrial and Probation Supervision Month transitioned into National Night Out—a recognition of community partnerships on Tuesday, August 1st—the Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS) has much to celebrate. This year’s theme is “Striving Together.” The year 2023 also marks the 145th anniversary of the State Legislature’s passage of a law which added MPS as a department of the Massachusetts Trial Court.

“Probation Officers work with clients and those involved with the justice system by supporting them in making long-term positive changes in the areas of substance use, mental health, homelessness, education, employment and family relationships. PO’s help them address their challenges by encouraging them to get to the root of their problems and working with them to create a plan to address their issues as well as directing them to therapeutic services all while holding them accountable,” said Ms. Fasano.

An MPS Statistical Glance

MPS started as an agency of one, John Augustus, who served as the sole Probation Officer in Boston for 18 years. Nearly two centuries later, the agency now consists of 650 line probation officers and 250 Associate Probation Officers located in the 105 courts across the Commonwealth.

This is a Statistical Glance of MPS today based on May 2023 figures provided by the Research Department:

—52,145 people are under probation supervision in Massachusetts, including Risk/Need data.

FFFive Questions with Matthew "Matt" Murphy,

Statewide Manager of Digital Forensics Services

Matthew (Matt) Murphy, the new Statewide Manager of Digital Forensics Services, recently spoke to the MPS Update about his role, the development of a Digital Forensics team, and how the new department will assist Probation Officers by digitally monitoring the cell phones of probationers.

Mr. Murphy joins MPS after more than 25 years of experience in Digital Forensics Investigation with the Massachusetts State Police. Mr. Murphy, Acting Commissioner of Probation Dianne Fasano, and General Counsel Nina Pomponio recently met with Massachusetts Trial Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Locke and Court Administrator Tom Ambrosino to provide an overview of the new department. Mr. Murphy will talk about the unit and its mission at the September 15th Senior Managers Meeting at the Massachusetts Training and Operations Center (MTOC) in Clinton.

As Manager of Digital Forensics Services, Mr. Murphy and a newly hired team will assist MPS in providing effective, evidence-based monitoring of the devices used by clients pursuant to court-ordered search conditions.

1- Coria Holland (CH), MPS UPDATE EDITOR: Could you tell us about your new role and the development of the Forensics team?

Matthew “Matt” Murphy (MM), Statewide Manager of Digital Forensics Services: I am the Statewide Manager who will oversee the department and there will be three more positions—digital forensic services coordinator positions— added. We are going to get hardware and software for devices and assist the Probation Officers with their checks of those on probation with special conditions that don’t allow them to contact people or to possess certain things on their devices. We would be able to forensically examine their devices to determine if they are in compliance with their special conditions.

2- CH: What is the process and how will this be conducted?

MM: We are planning a phased implementation. We are hoping to have this process in place by the end of the year. For example, when there are multiple probationers that are going to be at a court, we would travel to the court and have them hand over their devices and forensically check them.

A Day in the Life of A Probation Officer: Ellen Winfrey

The role of today's Probation Officer and MPS' efforts to meet the needs of probationers and the justice-involved were evident during a recent community visit by Superior Court Probation Officer Ellen Winfrey to those she supervises.

This is a Day in the Life of Superior Court Probation Officer Ellen Winfrey.

It is 9 am on Friday, July 21st, and Suffolk Superior Court Probation Officer Ellen Winfrey has already met with eight probationers in the communities of Chelsea and East Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. Winfrey’s day started at 7 am at a local Starbucks where she drove to meet several of her probationers. Meeting early and at a location in their community makes it easier for probationers to hold a job, seek work, and cut down on transportation costs, they said.

Ms. Winfrey, a five-year Probation Officer who first joined the Massachusetts Probation Service as an Associate Probation Officer at Bristol Superior Court in Taunton, meets with those under her supervision at local coffee shops, a cafe in a supermarket, or residential programs maintained by community-based programs such as the Meridian House in East Boston. Ms. Winfrey’s work with the justice-involved happens in the courts and in the community. She supervises cases in Charlestown, Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, and Winthrop. Ms. Winfrey and her colleagues alternate their time in the community and in the courts. Today is her day in the community where she meets those she is supervising on probation.

A Look at Pretrial and the

Community Justice Support Centers

-Who’s on Pretrial Probation by race, gender, and age

-Who’s sentenced to the Community Justice Support Centers ( CJSC’s)?

500 people a week are being supervised at the 18 statewide Community Justice Support Centers

The Life and Times of John Augustus:

"The Father of Probation"

John Augustus played a pivotal role in the Massachusetts court system and community which has a far-reaching impact even today. Let’s take a look at Mr. Augustus’ life and times through a virtual tour of Massachusetts sites connected to the Father of Probation.

History books show that Mr. Augustus was born in Woburn, Massachusetts and buried in the Old Ye Burying Ground in Lexington.

A philanthropist who later became involved in the abolitionist movement, Mr. Augustus operated his factory at a location on School Street in Boston, the site of the former Boston School Committee building. Next stop on the tour is the Boston courtroom where Mr. Augustus spent time advocating for probationers. The last stop is the Massachusetts State Archives where Mr. Augustus’ signed documents can be found.

1- Woburn birthplace: John Augustus was born in 1785.

2- Burial place: Ye Olde Burial Ground, 1965 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston.

3- Former factory site: School Street, Boston

4- Lexington home of John Augustus where he resided from 1811 to 1828.

5- Massachusetts State Archives, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA: Site of John Augustus’ historical documents.