Consequences Of Corruption In Probation Department

Iris Adler May 24, 2010

A Boston Globe investigation of the state’s Probation Department reveals rampant corruption and patronage throughout the parole system. There are a lot of unanswered questions: How did the commissioner gain so much power? Where was the oversight? And what harm do these findings pose for the public?

We discuss the consequences with Globe reporters, a criminologist and the officials calling for an investigation.

Alan

How does this affect current probation cases? As victims of a crime, my family is currently writing impact statements to the parole board in order to keep the perpetrator locked up. He is a violent sexual predator who must not be released into the community. Do these corrupt officials understand how vital it is that we have an effective criminal justice system? It makes victims of crimes everywhere unbelievably angry.
John

I already heard the baseball story this morning. Please don’t waste my time with repeated stories or I won’t bother listening in the afternoon.
Tyrone

The most frightening thing about the Boston Globe probation story is the simple fact that Howie Carr over at the Herald has been reporting on this specific corruption issue at the Probation Department, and naming names, every week or so for years in his “Hack de jour” columns. Yet one Globe article, with no new info in it, and everyone goes nuts. Just look at Howie’s articles from the last two weeks:
http://www.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=+Howie+Carr&type=byline&searchSite=recent&x=11&y=14#articleFull

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Consequences Of Corruption In Probation Department