CommonWealth Probation coverage
"A New Path for Probation" Information Resource Guide
From Cell to Street: A Plan to Supervise Inmates After Release . Mass INC. Jan 1, 2002.
Action Plan for Reform and Renewal of Probation Department Hiring and Promotion Practices . Supreme Judicial Court Task Force on Hiring in the Judicial Branch. Feb 10, 2011.
Priorities and Public Safety: Reentry and the Rising Costs of our Corrections System . The Crime and Justice Institute, A Division of Community Resources for Justice. 2009.
Priorities and Public Safety II: Adopting Effective Probation Practices The Crime and Justice Institute, A Division of Community Resources for Justice. 2010
The Crisis in Corrections and Sentencing in Massachusetts, Report and Recommendations of the Task Force on Justice
. A Joint Project of the Boston Bar Association and Crime and Justice Foundation. Feb 1991.
Prison reform: A smart way for states to save money and lives . The Washington Post. Jan 7, 2011.
An Act Reforming Reentry and Community Supervision of Criminal Defendants and Offenders to Strengthen Public Safety.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
Patronage at the state’s Probation Department has been one of the most interesting stories to surface this year in Massachusetts. CommonWealth has been following it from the beginning and was the first to report some aspects of the story. At times, CommonWealth has provided a different take on the story than other media outlets. What follows is a compilation of the magazine’s coverage so far, as well as interviews with the reporters who covered the story, updated as it progresses. If you have information that you think we should pursue, please feel to contact either Bruce Mohl (at bmohl@massinc.org or 617-224-1705) or Jack Sullivan (at jsullivan@massinc.org and 617-224-1623).
Probation report calls for reforms
Harshbarger task force backs hiring changes, opposes civil service.
February 10, 2011
Probation report
Bipartisan group calls for changes but split on where agency belongs
February 1, 2011
Ireland appeals to keep Probation
SJC chief says move to executive branch would be costly
January 24, 2011
Everybody knew
Editor's Note, Winter 2011 issue
January 18, 2011
Probation scandal spurs calls for public records reform
January 18, 2011
O’Brien files for state pension
Termination hearing could have voided his payout
January 3, 2011
O’Brien resigns, says he’s scapegoat
Hiring politically connected people called part of Beacon Hill culture
December 31, 2010
Harshbarger dismisses Civil Service call
Task force leader also says Public Records Law should cover judicial branch
December 7, 2010
DeLeo: Put Probation under Civil Service
Speaker last week raised concerns about the approach
December 6, 2010
Was Murray playing the patronage game?
December 2, 2010
Petrolati to step down, DeLeo vows changes
November 23, 2010
Petrolati not out of hot water in probe
Attorney says report clears client, but probation investigator says no
Nov. 19, 2010
Probation hiring rife with abuse, corruption
Independent counsel says hiring orchestrated beginning to end.
November 18, 2010
Surprise surprise: Political ties help
Independent counsel says O’Brien went too far.
November 18, 2010
Probation chief kept detailed records on who back job applicants
Two views of database emerge
October 07, 2010
Probation officer donated to senator
Records show acting probation commissioner also gave donations to politicians.
September 23, 2010
SJC denies bid to quash subpoena
Rep. Petrolati had argued court lacked authority.
September 16, 2010
SJC hears arguments on Petrolati subpoena
Attorney says he doesn’t know if lawmaker would testify.
September 14, 2010
Petrolati renews bid to quash probation subpoena
SJC expected to hear oral arguments in case on Tuesday.
September 10, 2010
Petrolati, Ware in probation standoff
House leader and independent counsel battling over legislative subpoena.
September 03, 2010
SJC rules against probation applicant
Weymouth man would have been 7th family member employed by Trial Court.
August 30, 2010
Hiring of O'Brien's daughter OK'd in ethics opinions
Records indicate O’Brien did not sidestep Mulligan.
August 19, 2010
Probation location
the battle rages over which branch of government will control probation—and its $150 million budget—in Massachusetts. But looking for help to see how other states do it offers little in the way of guidance.
July 27, 2010
No quick action on probation, parole
Oversight of the state’s probation department won’t be resolved any time soon under a budget agreement worked out by House and Senate negotiators.
June 24, 2010
Mulligan: Probation undergoing change
With O’Brien’s suspension, top judge pushes for more transparency, defends past hires.
June 23, 2010
Herald refuses to cover probation story
The Boston Herald’s refusal to cover the fast-moving probation story is becoming comical. It’s one thing to not write about the Boston Globe’s two-part series on probation patronage – they’re the competition, I get that -- but it’s quite another to ignore news.
May 26, 2010
Senate sides with judiciary, for now
Budget amendments to restore court authority over probation
May 25, 2010
Memories of Jack O'Brien
Probation commissioner killed program with no explanation
May 25, 2010
Probation chief put on leave; SJC appoints special counsel
Probation Commissioner John J. O’Brien placed on administrative leave and independent counsel appointed.
May 24, 2010
Defining nepotism is all relative
An SJC case offers a glimpse inside the probation service, which critics claim is a patronage haven.
May 03, 2010
Holding on tight and not letting go
Judging from comments House Speaker Robert DeLeo made to The Republican of Springfield, it doesn’t appear there’s any appetite in the Legislature for reining in the autonomy of the state’s probation commissioner.
May 03, 2010
Courts functionally disabled due to cuts
SJC chief says budget cuts impact all residents and businesses.
April 26, 2010
Status quo on probation
Rep. Murphy keeps probation within judiciary but under control of Legislature.
April 14, 2010
Patrick probation proposal not included in House budget plan
The House budget plan is not expected to include Gov. Deval Patrick’s proposal to move the state’s probation service out of the judiciary and into the executive branch, according to a source briefed on the situation.
April 13, 2010
Carr and Braude sing the same tune
Howie Carr and Jim Braude are about as far apart on the political spectrum as you can get, but both of them are singing the same song about the state’s probation service.
March 05, 2010
CW on Broadside
CW editor Bruce Mohl joined Jim Braude (pictured) on the NECN show Broadside on Thursday to talk about the power struggle over the state’s probation service.
March 04, 2010
Probation officials oppose takeover, say ‘patronage works’
Patrick's plan prompts debate.
March 02, 2010
Carr takes on probation
CW reporter Jack Sullivan joined WRKO talk show host Howie Carr on Monday for a look at patronage in the state probation service. March 01, 2010
All in the family
Personal ties play a prominent role in hiring decisions at the probation agency.
February 23, 2010
The tug-of-war over probation
The governor, the judiciary, and the Legislature are engaged in a tug of war over the state’s probation service.
February 18, 2010
The politics of policymaking
Gov. Patrick has laid down another reform marker. That ball is now in the Legislature’s court.
January 29, 2010
Judges to Patrick: Hands off probation
They ask for control, warn of furloughs.
January 29, 2010
Hail to the Chief
Conversation with Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall about funding and transparency in the state court system.
January 26, 2010
Probation head in the spotlight
January 25, 2010