Massachusetts Probation Service

The service was created based on the work of John Augustus, the Boston area bootmaker who is credited as the "Father of Probation".

The state's 12 Probate and Family Court Probation Departments provide a different service addressing domestic relations issues like divorce dispute resolution, child support litigation and enforcement, visitation issues, adoption searches, guardianship suitability and other investigative functions as needed.

There are 11 division of the Juvenile Court Probation Department in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin/Hampshire, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties.

In 2009, Commissioner of Probation John J. O'Brien was alleged in published reports of bribing members of the Massachusetts Legislature by giving jobs to their supporters, friends, and relatives.

On December 19, 2016 the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed the conviction of O'Brien and ordered the entry of acquittals on all counts citing insufficiency of evidence.