Andrea Cabral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrea Cabral
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Official portrait, 2013
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| Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety | |
| In office 2013–2015 |
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| Governor | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | Mary Elizabeth Heffernan |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Bennett |
| Sheriff of Suffolk County, Massachusetts | |
| In office 2002–2013 |
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| Preceded by | Richard J. Rouse |
| Succeeded by | Steven W. Tompkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 (age 65–66) East Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Boston College (BA) Suffolk University Law School (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Andrea J. Cabral, born in 1959, is an American lawyer. She held important public safety roles in Massachusetts. She served as the Secretary of Public Safety. She was also the Sheriff of Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Andrea Cabral grew up in East Providence, Rhode Island. She went to Boston College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981. Later, she studied law at Suffolk University Law School. She received her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1986.
Her Career in Law
Cabral started her legal career in 1986. She worked at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. There, she helped prepare legal arguments for bail reduction. From 1987 to 1991, she worked as an assistant district attorney. This job involved helping to prosecute crimes in Middlesex County.
After that, Cabral joined the Office of the Attorney General from 1991 to 1993. She worked on cases involving civil rights and public protection. In 1993, she moved to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. She directed a project focused on family violence in Roxbury. By 1994, she became the chief of the Domestic Violence Unit. In 1998, she was promoted again. She became the chief of District Courts and Community Prosecutions. In 1997, she was chosen as a USA Eisenhower Fellow. This honor recognizes leaders who want to make the world better.
Becoming Sheriff of Suffolk County
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In 2002, Andrea Cabral was appointed Sheriff of Suffolk County. This happened after a special commission suggested changes to the Sheriff's Department. Governor Jane M. Swift chose her for the role. In 2004, Cabral won the election to keep her position. She made history as the first woman to be Sheriff in Massachusetts.
As Sheriff, Cabral was in charge of several important facilities. These included the House of Correction and the Suffolk County Jail. She also oversaw the Women's Resource Center. Her department had over 1,100 employees. These included correctional officers and other justice professionals. Their main job was to keep the public safe. They also helped support over 2,500 people in the justice system every day.
Working with Immigration Agencies
In 2010, Sheriff Cabral wrote a letter to a federal agency. This agency was the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She noted a "staggering lack of communication" from them. She told CNN Radio that if her concerns were not fixed, she would stop housing federal detainees. This meant ICE would need to find another facility for them. A spokesperson for ICE said they were reviewing her letter. They planned to respond directly to her concerns.
