John Augustus (c. 1785 – June 21, 1859) was an American
boot maker and
penal reformer. He is credited with coining the English term "
probation
Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offence (law), offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incar ...
" and is called the "Father of Probation" in the United States because of his pioneering efforts to campaign for more lenient sentences for convicted
criminals
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Cane ...
based on their backgrounds.
Life
Augustus was born in
Woburn, Massachusetts. His interest in prisoner rehabilitation began in 1841, when he was touched by the case of a man arrested for
public intoxication
Public intoxication, also known as "drunk and disorderly" and "drunk in public", is a summary offense in certain countries related to public cases or displays of drunkenness. Public intoxication laws vary widely by jurisdiction, but usually requ ...
and paid his
bail
Bail is a set of pre-trial restrictions that are imposed on a suspect to ensure that they will not hamper the judicial process. Court bail may be offered to secure the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when ...
, moving the judge to set the man free. Thus began Augustus' practice of paying peoples' bail.
Augustus' success rate could rival - and possibly surpass - the success rate of any rehabilitation program available today. His work brought him the devotion and aid of many Boston
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...
s and organizations. Augustus' success started him on an 18-year run as the first
probation officer
A probation or parole officer is an official appointed or sworn to investigate, report on, and supervise the conduct of convicted offenders on probation or those released from incarceration to community supervision such as parole. Most probat ...
. At his death, it was noted that of the 1,946 people he helped, only ten proved unworthy (for which he forfeited bail).
, ''A Journal of Correctional Philosophy and Practice'' - Vol. 70 Number 1]
Augustus died on June 21, 1859, in Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, Massachusetts.
See also
* Matthew Davenport Hill
* Alexander Maconochie (penal reformer)
Alexander Maconochie (11 February 1787 – 25 October 1860) was a Scotland, Scottish naval officer, geographer and penal reformer.
In 1840, Maconochie became the Governor of Norfolk Island, a prison island in which convicts were treated with s ...
* Massachusetts Probation Service
References
External links
*
New York Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives - History of Probation: Meet John Augustus
New York City Department of Probation - Brief History of Probation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Augustus, John
1780s births
1859 deaths
Shoemakers
Activists from Boston
Probation and parole officers