Article published by Daniel Schemer - Taunton Daily Gazette - June 6, 2025

TAUNTON — With the help of the Taunton Community Justice Support Center some people convicted of crimes in Bristol County say they are finding pathways to forgiveness and reform.

Just ask Michael Melito of Taunton, who just nine months ago violated his probation, he said.

“Before jail, all I cared about was getting high and playing video games,” he told the audience at a special client recognition ceremony the support center hosted on May 29.

Melito spent four months in jail, during which time he went through withdrawal from opioids. His attorney advocated for probation through the support center, which is located at 5 Cohannet St., in the former Taunton Daily Gazette building.

Here, Melito said, staff helped him set up health insurance through Mass Health, scheduled him for drug counseling and workforce training to help him get a job, and helped him qualify for food stamp assistance.

At the ceremony, the center celebrated his model behavior over the last five months, his 2 1/2 months of employment at Burger King, where he was recently promoted to shift leader, and nine months total of sobriety.

“This place has kept me on the right track," Melito said. 

What is the Community Justice Support Center?

Across the Commonwealth there are 18 Community Justice Support Centers, all of which are managed by the state’s Office of Community Corrections, a division of the Massachusetts Probation Service.

These centers offer low-level offenders on probation, most sent to them via court order, programs and services aimed at rehabilitation and getting them back to being productive members of the community. That includes drug counseling, behavioral and healthy living support, legal resources, placement at sober living facilities, GED and college education options and workforce aid for job interviews and gaining employment. 

YMCA connection

Ten of the support centers across the state are located inside YMCA branches, said Charles Clifford, president and CEO of the Old Colony YMCA, which leases the space inside the building for the Taunton support center.

Clifford said that what community justice support centers do “fits under the realm of the work” the YMCA does with regards to social responsibility.

Rebuilding lives

“Everyone here has taken steps to rebuild their lives,” said Filomena DaVeiga, program manager for the state's Office of Community Corrections, at the May 29 ceremony.

Peter Hammarberg, a client at the Taunton support center for the last eight months, said, “Staff has gone above and beyond for me. It’s a very trustworthy environment.” He told the Gazette that at his “lowest point in life” when dealing with his drug addiction, he stole a car, which ultimately led to incarceration and an eventual stay in a drug treatment center.

With help from Taunton's support center, Hammarberg said he is now living at halfway house in Taunton, has been employed for the last month at Lowe’s in Raynham and plans on taking college classes with a focus on literary arts and poetry.

DaVeiga added the programs and services offered at the Taunton support center require a lot of hard work from its participants as they include “changing the way they think and act,” making better decisions, relating better to others and the community as a whole, “dealing with trauma,” and improving one’s mental health and how they manage that. 

Who qualifies?

Vincent Lorenti, executive director for the state's Office of Community Corrections, told The Gazette people who committed crimes with firearms, committed rape or sexual assault, or committed crimes that involved either the “grievous bodily harm” of others, or killed someone, don’t quality for services provided by the support center.

Erin Lopes, senior counselor at the Taunton support center, said while many who come to the center have histories with addiction “not everyone has drug connections.”

How it works?

Lorenti said a main factor in who these centers help comes down to recidivism and how high the risk factor is for them relapsing or committing more crimes. 

“We’re trying to prioritize higher risk people to keep them out of jail and keep them safer to stay in the community,” said Lorenti.

Lopes said assessments determine the person’s “risk areas,” for repeat offences, such as their general attitude and behavior patterns, whether or not they are struggling with addiction, who they socialize with, whether or not they have supportive family and friends, and what their educational, financial and employment situations are like.

Client Stephanie Collins said she’s been drug-free for 15 months thanks to the Taunton support center.

“They are here to help me with what I need. The team here makes all the difference in the world,” Collins said, upon receiving a certificate of completion of her cognitive behavioral therapy curriculum at the May 29 ceremony.

'Opportunity to get back on my feet' after tragedy

Nine years ago Christopher Hawkins’ life was shattered when his daughter chose to end her life, he said.

Hawkins, of Taunton, told The Gazette his daughter suffered from severe post-partum depression after giving birth to her daughter.

“I fell apart,” he said, adding that he “spiraled pretty bad” into drug use.

He said he used crack cocaine heavily for years but, “My drug of choice was ‘more' at one point.”  

Hawkins said that over a year ago he violated probation, which led to a 56-day stint in jail. He said the court ordered him to get help at the Taunton support center, which got him space at a sober living facility in Taunton.

“This place gave me the opportunity to get back on my feet. It offered me stability, structure, and routine,” said Hawkins about the programs, meetings and classes offered through the Community Justice Support Center.

He said he’s now over a year clean and is working on rebuilding relationships with family, including his 17-year old son. He said, starting this fall, he will be taking online classes through the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, with the intention of getting credentials to become a drug and alcohol counselor.

“People make bad decisions. I want to either help them or prevent those decisions,” Hawkins said.

Show of support

Numerous legal and city officials were in attendance at the ceremony to offer praise to the Taunton support center.

Attorney George Mesmar attended the event to celebrate his client, Michael Melito, and his success with the support program. Mesmar told the audience Melito is his "first success story with the program” and “a perfect example of what I had hoped to achieve by becoming an attorney.”

Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’ Connell said to the clients receiving accolades, “We all have a past. We all have a story. We all make mistakes. A moment in time does not have to define you for a lifetime.”

Taunton District Court Judge Michael Brennan said he believes the Community Justice Support Center has proven to lower recidivism among people who commit crimes and use drugs.

Brennan said half-jokingly: “We hope we never see you again.”