When: Monday, October 30, 2017 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Social Law Library, Boston, MA 
Cost: $65

Co-Sponsored with the Massachusetts Juvenile Bar Association

CPCS approved for 3.0 CLE credit hours for the Youth Advocacy Division and the Post-Conviction Panel.

SJC Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants
and members of the Juvenile Court Sentencing Best Practices Committee
Juvenile Court Judge Jay Blitzman, Chair
Juvenile Court Judge Helen Brown Bryant
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan
State Supervisor John Millett, Probation Department
Deputy Commissioner Ruth Rovezzi, Department of Youth Services
Attorney-in-Charge Holly Smith, CPCS Youth Advocacy Division, Somerville

In 2014, SJC Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants and Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M Carey created separate, multidisciplinary working groups to develop evidenced-based sentencing protocols specifically for the Boston Municipal, District, Juvenile and Superior Courts.
Issued in 2016, each court published particularized procedures and practices that promoted sentencing “best practices” tailored to the types of criminal cases handled by those courts.

The court-by-court protocols match the purposes of sentencing with social-science data and empirical research to determine the best, evidence-based practices to enhance the effectiveness of probation and reduce overall recidivism.

This program will specifically focus on the best sentencing practices designed for the Juvenile Court. Members of the Juvenile Court’s Working Group will not only review best-practices guiding principles described its report, “Dispositional and Sentencing Best Practices for Delinquent and Youthful Offender Matters,” but will delve into the specific protocols outlined in its succinct in-court guide, Juvenile Court Dispositional and Sentencing Best Practices Bench Card, both of which will be distributed at the program.


Online registration is encouraged. For assistance, questions on group discounts, special billing, program content, out-of-state CLE credits, and general CLE information contact Michael Saporito at msaporito@socialaw.com. Space is limited. Registrations accepted in order of receipt. Same day registrations are $5.00 extra. Registration fees are non-refundable. Registrants for this program acknowledge that during the program their photographic or videographic images may be incidentally taken; registrants agree that the submission of their registrations for this program constitutes their written consent to the Social Law Library’s use of any such image in print and online materials solely for promotion of the Library’s noncommercial CLE seminars and other educational events and activities.