Role of Probation Dept in Sentencing Recommendations

Will I wonder if Massachusetts has a similar system as California where a representative of the Probation or Corrections department is responsible for interviewing researching and making a post sentencing recommendation to the Judge when deciding what sentence is to be imposed on a convicted person? If so does the Commonwealth have a legal framework …

Responding to critics of the movement to reform criminal justice

Readers took the time to offer frank criticism — both online and offline — of the piece I published last week about reforming criminal justice by shifting resources from incarceration to treatment. I appreciate the dialog. Keeping the public safe is the top goal of government, and we are starting to get past knee-jerk answers and get smart on crime.