By Andrew Firestone

Being on probation is hardly a stress free situation. Home visits, required counseling and detoxification can have the effect of leaving many where they began: relapsing in serious drug use and addiction.

But many probationers under the watch of the Somerville Court House share Somerville resident Pasquale Nappi’s sentiments: “it probably helped save my life and keep me clean.”

Nappi was a hard-luck case, a heroin addict for 10 years before he was arrested while driving under the influence. Sentenced to 1 year probation, he found his term extended by six months after a nearly fatal relapse, thinking he’d be “OK” if he did it again “one time.”

Nearly two years later, Nappi is not using drugs anymore. He attends two of the many weekly meetings set up by the Somerville District Court Probation Department, listening and speaking with other probationers. And he is not alone.

Despite managing 1,000 cases a year the ten-person staff of the probation department recently received a nearly perfect 98.8 percent compliance score in their re-certification audit administered by the Massachusetts Trial Court Office of the Commissioner of Probation.  Presiding Judge Maurice Flynn called it “one of the highest ratings of district courts in the state,” saying he’d never encountered a more “efficient and hardworking” probation department than the one found in his own courthouse.

The probation department’s success stands against a severe budget shortage, which has limited both staff numbers and program options for the department in recent years. While Judge Flynn called the department “severely understaffed.”

Chief Probation Officer Richard Antonelli was more stoic. “We’re not at 100 percent staffing level and for us to attain [a nearly perfect rating], that’s pretty good,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we’re over worked,” he added. “I wouldn’t say we’re underworked.”

Antonelli attributed the department’s success to community presence of his officers, who supervise seven different support groups throughout the week in Somerville and Medford involving drugs, alcohol and anger management, as well as home visits and drug and alcohol tests. Seeing probationers out of the courthouse setting allows “firsthand knowledge of whether the person is adhering to their conditions of probation or they’re just playing a game with us,” said Antonelli

Judge Flynn said it was the “only court I know of that has its own internally organized recovery program.” As opposed to sending probationers in need of counseling to outside programs, Antonelli said that his program allows for more personal, effective observation of probationers. “We can see it first hand and we can react quicker, take corrective action quicker.”

“It’s a very effective way to treat some of these probationers who aren’t hardened criminals and aren’t terribly violent but who need help,” said Judge Flynn.

The weekly meetings, often organized in the style of AA meetings, are performed in conjunction with Somerville Mental Health Association and are conducted by therapists and local activists with similar issues to the probationers. “Some of these people have never had a taste of attending any treatment,” said Maureen McCole, a veteran officer of 13 years.

McCole described the recovery process as difficult, but very positive. “I watch people who come and they’re very resistant to attending these groups. They sit at the back of the room and sometimes, by the end of maybe six, eight months they’re actually sitting in front of the room listening to what these people have to say.”

Nappi said that he credits these meetings with saving his life, and continues to attend his weekly meeting even after his probations end, like others. “It helps me stay clean and I can also help other people stay clean by going to that meeting, hearing people speak and sharing my thoughts and how I feel.”

Being an active presence in the community allows the Somerville Probation Officers to be proactive in bettering the lives of probationers. McCole describes one visit to a young mother of three and found the woman had little bedding and kitchenware to provide for her family. McCole donated her own sheets, dishes and personal items to help her, and was touched when the woman expressed gratitude. “They try to tell you not to take the job personally, but you have to do that if you want to help people, and I think that compassion and empathy is a big part of the job.”

“They’re not just there to break your balls,” said Nappi who described the department as “loving and caring people.” “It really comes from your heart that they do want to help you.”

Expressing pride in the team, Judge Flynn said “I have all faith in every single one of them, to a person.”