John Augustus
Encyclopedia
John Augustus was a Boston
boot maker
who is called the "Father of Probation
" in the United States because of his pioneering efforts to campaign for more lenient sentences for convicted criminals based on their backgrounds. Augustus' efforts are credited with the establishment of the Presentence Investigation
.
. Only one manuscript is attributed to him: The Report of the Labors of John Augustus. He wrote in a letter:
Traces of probation date back to 437 B.C. However courts in the 1800s had been giving out sentences regardless of background of the defendant. Augustus coined the word "probation" which he derived from the Latin
word "probare" which means "to prove, to test". Augustus was an active member of the Washington Total Abstinence Society. Augustus was concerned that poor drunks and offenders of petty crimes were receiving mandatory sentences that were not warranted by their backgrounds. He felt that first time offenders could best be rehabilitated if spared the crime hardening experience of a prison
sentence.
In 1841, Augustus approached the Boston, Massachusetts police court and persuaded them to let a “common drunkard” be left in his care instead of going to prison. The conditions were that a fine needed to be paid and the offender must return before the court in three weeks, the fine was levied at one cent plus court costs, which came to the total of $3.76. After three weeks of being in Augustus' care, in which Augustus found him a job and made him sign a pledge to stop drinking, the offender and Augustus returned to astonish the court. The offender was completely sober and his appearance and demeanor had drastically improved.
The court allowed Augustus to take more and more offenders into his custody. Of course he didn't try to take all the cases, he would select prospective probationers based on age, character and the people places and things apt to influence them to make his decision. His practice assumed that most offenders are not dangerous and will respond well to treatment. In 1843 Augustus turned his attention toward helping children. He took three children into his care, all accused of stealing. The children included two girls ages eight and ten, and an eleven year-old boy. Three years later this number had grown to thirty children ranging nine to sixteen years old. The process was such that the children's cases were continued for period of several months as a term of probation. At the calling of the docket
each month, Augustus would appear to make his report and the cases would pass on for 5–6 months. Then, at the end of the term he would appear with some of the children, and as with his first success their appearance had drastically improved from the time of their arraignment
. With this and the paying of a ten cent fine per person, the judge would declare that the object of the law was accomplished, thanks to Augustus' plan to save and reform.
Augustus' success rate could rival and possibly surpass the success rate of any rehabilitation program available to today. His work brought him the devotion and aid of many Boston philanthropists and organizations. Augustus' success started him on an 18 year run as the first probation officer
ever. At his death, it was noted that of the 2,000 people he helped only four proved unworthy (for which he forfeited bail).
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
boot maker
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
who is called the "Father of Probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
" in the United States because of his pioneering efforts to campaign for more lenient sentences for convicted criminals based on their backgrounds. Augustus' efforts are credited with the establishment of the Presentence Investigation
Presentence Investigation
A presentence investigation report is a legal term referring to the investigation into the history of person convicted of a crime before sentencing to determine if there are extenuating circumstances which should ameliorate the sentence or a history of criminal behavior to increase the harshness...
.
Life
Augustus was born in Burlington, MassachusettsBurlington, Massachusetts
Burlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,498 at the 2010 census.- History :It is believed that Burlington takes its name from the English town of Bridlington, however this has never been confirmed....
. Only one manuscript is attributed to him: The Report of the Labors of John Augustus. He wrote in a letter:
- "Time has not been spent in getting out books, but in getting persons out of jail."
Traces of probation date back to 437 B.C. However courts in the 1800s had been giving out sentences regardless of background of the defendant. Augustus coined the word "probation" which he derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word "probare" which means "to prove, to test". Augustus was an active member of the Washington Total Abstinence Society. Augustus was concerned that poor drunks and offenders of petty crimes were receiving mandatory sentences that were not warranted by their backgrounds. He felt that first time offenders could best be rehabilitated if spared the crime hardening experience of a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
sentence.
In 1841, Augustus approached the Boston, Massachusetts police court and persuaded them to let a “common drunkard” be left in his care instead of going to prison. The conditions were that a fine needed to be paid and the offender must return before the court in three weeks, the fine was levied at one cent plus court costs, which came to the total of $3.76. After three weeks of being in Augustus' care, in which Augustus found him a job and made him sign a pledge to stop drinking, the offender and Augustus returned to astonish the court. The offender was completely sober and his appearance and demeanor had drastically improved.
The court allowed Augustus to take more and more offenders into his custody. Of course he didn't try to take all the cases, he would select prospective probationers based on age, character and the people places and things apt to influence them to make his decision. His practice assumed that most offenders are not dangerous and will respond well to treatment. In 1843 Augustus turned his attention toward helping children. He took three children into his care, all accused of stealing. The children included two girls ages eight and ten, and an eleven year-old boy. Three years later this number had grown to thirty children ranging nine to sixteen years old. The process was such that the children's cases were continued for period of several months as a term of probation. At the calling of the docket
Docket
Docket may refer to:*Docket , the official schedule of proceedings in lawsuits pending in a court of law. Term also includes a case identification number and reference point and case history for all case work involving a particular case....
each month, Augustus would appear to make his report and the cases would pass on for 5–6 months. Then, at the end of the term he would appear with some of the children, and as with his first success their appearance had drastically improved from the time of their arraignment
Arraignment
Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal complaint in the presence of the defendant to inform the defendant of the charges against him or her. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea...
. With this and the paying of a ten cent fine per person, the judge would declare that the object of the law was accomplished, thanks to Augustus' plan to save and reform.
Augustus' success rate could rival and possibly surpass the success rate of any rehabilitation program available to today. His work brought him the devotion and aid of many Boston philanthropists and organizations. Augustus' success started him on an 18 year run as the first probation officer
Probation officer
Parole officers and probation officers play a role in criminal justice systems by supervising offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions such as community service...
ever. At his death, it was noted that of the 2,000 people he helped only four proved unworthy (for which he forfeited bail).