Section 99 Powers and duties of commissioner of probation - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 99. The commissioner of probation shall supervise the probation work in all of the courts of the commonwealth and for such purposes he and his staff shall have access to all probation records of said courts. Subject to the approval of the chief justice for administration and management, the commissioner shall establish reports and forms to be maintained by probation officers; procedures to be followed by probation officers; standards and rules of probation work, including methods and procedures of investigation, mediation, supervision, case work, record keeping, accounting, caseload and case management. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations concerning probation officers or offices provided said rules and regulations have been approved in writing by the chief justice for administration and management subject to chapter one hundred and fifty E. The commissioner shall assist the chief justice for administration and management in developing standards and procedures for the performance evaluation of probation officers, and shall assist each first justice in evaluating the work performance of probation officers. The commissioner shall receive all notices of intended disciplinary action against a probation officer or supervising probation officer including reprimand, fine, suspension, demotion or discharge, that may be initiated by a first justice, supervisor or chief probation officer. The commissioner shall develop and conduct basic orientation and in-service training programs for probation officers, such programs to be held at such times and for such periods as he shall determine. He shall conduct research studies relating to crime and delinquency, and, may participate with other public and private agencies in joint research studies. The commissioner shall have the responsibility for assessing the needs of probation offices and assisting the first justices in this effort. He may recommend to first justices, or the chief justice for administration and management the appointment and assignment of additional probation or clerical personnel or both. The commissioner shall annually submit written budget recommendations for the probation service to the chief justice for administration and management. These recommendations shall be in addition to the budget requests submitted by the first justices on behalf of their respective courthouse or courthouses, including probation offices. The commissioner shall annually conduct regional meetings with chief probation officers to discuss the budget needs of the local probation offices. The commissioner may hold conferences on probation throughout the commonwealth. The traveling expenses of trial court justices or probation officers authorized by the chief justice for administration and management to attend any such conference shall be paid by the commonwealth.