Chief Justice for Administration & Management Robert A. Mulligan has
appointed Ronald P. Corbett, Jr., Ed.D., to serve as the Commissioner of
Probation on an acting basis for two years. Dr. Corbett, appointed on an
interim basis in May, has instituted a range of management reforms to increase
the accountability and transparency of the probation service.
"Ron Corbett brings a depth of knowledge on probation best practices along
with strong management experience and extensive partnerships in the criminal
justice community to strengthen probation at this challenging time," said Chief
Justice Mulligan. "Probation is a key public safety entity with a positive
history in the judicial branch until recently. We are very fortunate to
have a leader of this caliber who can work collaboratively with the executive
branch and provide direction to the many hardworking probation officers across
the state. Ron, who is widely respected, will issue regular reports on the
many initiatives underway in probation."
Chief Justice Mulligan highlighted the importance of establishing stability
in the department in the short term given the recent turmoil. Under
recently-enacted legislation the position of Commissioner of Probation now
carries a five-year term. Chief Justice Mulligan expects to conduct a full
search at a point that is appropriate for the organization.
Dr. Corbett said, "I welcome the opportunity to restore Probation to
administrative excellence and credibility throughout the court system and in the
eyes of the public. Going forward, we will focus on further strengthening
several key areas. These include the need to establish a culture based on
performance management with new metrics and full accountability; finish
introduction of a new, validated risk/need classification instrument to form the
foundation of our key supervisory practices; insure comprehensive and accurate
data systems to enable accurate caseload reporting; continue to enhance
relationships with our allied state agencies in the interests of an effective
criminal justice system; and insure that all future hires are based on best
personnel practices and reflect a commitment to a merit-based system."
Dr. Corbett served as Deputy Commissioner of Probation from 1993 to 2000 when
he was named Executive Director of the Supreme Judicial Court. He teaches
criminal justice at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.