What contributions to modern probation did John Augustus make that continue today?

What will be an ideal response?


• John Augustus was a Boston shoemaker who was concerned about the dire situation of people charged with crimes who had to spend time in poor jail conditions. In 1841, while visiting a court hearing, Augustus heard a defendant state that he would drink no more if saved from a sentence in the house of correction, and Augustus asked the judge to defer sentencing and release the man into his custody. In doing so, he became the nation's first probation officer. Augustus began to help others in the same way, bailing them out, helping them find work and a residence, and keeping the court appraised of their progress. Thanks to his efforts, Massachusetts and other states recognized that justice could be served without every offender being sentenced to jail or prison, and probation programs following the Augustus model became widespread.

Criminal Justice

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Criminal Justice