Andrea J. Cabral
Encyclopedia
Andrea J. Cabral was elected on November 2, 2004 and sworn in on January 5, 2005 as the 30th Sheriff
of Suffolk County
, Massachusetts
. She is the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position.
(1981) with a Bachelor of Arts
degree and Suffolk University Law School
where she earned her Juris Doctor
degree in 1986.
Cabral began her legal career in 1986 as a staff attorney at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department at the Charles Street Jail
, working to prepare and argue motions for bail reduction for the Suffolk Superior Court. Subsequently, she served as an assistant district attorney
at the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office from 1987-1991.
From 1991-1993, Cabral served in the Office of the Attorney General
including work in the Torts Division/Government Bureau and the Civil Rights/ Public Protection Bureau. Cabral then began work at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 1993 under then District Attorney Ralph C. Martin III. From 1993-1994, she was director of Roxbury District Court Family Violence Project. She became chief of the Domestic Violence Unit at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 1994. In 1998, Cabral was promoted to chief of District Courts and Community Prosecutions.
professionals, caseworkers and administrative staff whose primary responsibility is upholding public safety and providing rehabilitative support for more than 2,500 offenders daily.
She told CNN Radio that if her concerns aren't addressed, ICE "would no longer be allowed to house federal detainees at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. They would have to take them to a different facility."
ICE is reviewing Cabral's letter and will offer a direct response to her concerns, said Harold Ort, a spokesman for the agency.
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Suffolk County
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. She is the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position.
Background
Cabral is a graduate of Boston CollegeBoston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
(1981) with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree and Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School, also known as Suffolk Law School or SULS, is one of the professional graduate schools of Suffolk University. Suffolk University Law School is a private, non-sectarian, law school located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Suffolk University Law School was founded in...
where she earned her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1986.
Cabral began her legal career in 1986 as a staff attorney at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department at the Charles Street Jail
Charles Street Jail
The Charles Street Jail or "Suffolk County Jail" is a historic former jail located at 215 Charles Street, Boston, Massachusetts...
, working to prepare and argue motions for bail reduction for the Suffolk Superior Court. Subsequently, she served as an assistant district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
at the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office from 1987-1991.
From 1991-1993, Cabral served in the Office of the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
including work in the Torts Division/Government Bureau and the Civil Rights/ Public Protection Bureau. Cabral then began work at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 1993 under then District Attorney Ralph C. Martin III. From 1993-1994, she was director of Roxbury District Court Family Violence Project. She became chief of the Domestic Violence Unit at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 1994. In 1998, Cabral was promoted to chief of District Courts and Community Prosecutions.
Sheriff of Suffolk County
As Sheriff of Suffolk County, Cabral is responsible for the operation of the House of Correction, the Suffolk County Jail, the Suffolk County Women’s Resource Center, the Suffolk County Community Corrections Center and the Civil Process Division. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department has more than 1,100 employees, being correctional officers, criminal justiceCriminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
professionals, caseworkers and administrative staff whose primary responsibility is upholding public safety and providing rehabilitative support for more than 2,500 offenders daily.
Immigration Issues
In an August 13, 2010 letter to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral noted a "staggering lack of communication and respect" from the federal agency.She told CNN Radio that if her concerns aren't addressed, ICE "would no longer be allowed to house federal detainees at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. They would have to take them to a different facility."
ICE is reviewing Cabral's letter and will offer a direct response to her concerns, said Harold Ort, a spokesman for the agency.
Publications
- "Obtaining, Enforcing and Defending x.209A Restraining Orders in Massachusetts"
- "Same Gender Domestic Violence: Strategies for Change in Creating Courtroom Accessibility."