ALTERNATIVE
SENTENCING PROGRAM HONORED
WITH NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
EXCELLENCE AWARD
Boston—Recognized as a “truly exceptional life-changing program,” Changing Lives Through
Literature, an innovative alternative sentencing program developed
in 1991 by Superior Court Judge Robert J. Kane and University
of Massachusetts/Dartmouth Professor Robert P. Waxler, today
will receive the Excellence Award for Program Achievement
by the New England Board of Higher Education. The award will
be presented at 7:00 p.m. at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
in Boston. About 200 New England leaders in education, government,
and business are expected to attend.
Changing Lives Through Literature
motivates men and women offenders who have been sentenced
to probation to become better citizens by examining their
lives through a discussion of novels and short stories focusing
on issues such as violence, gender and race. By analyzing
the obstacles of characters in literature, participants gain
insights into their own obstacles in life and often become
productive members of society instead of returning to a path
of crime. Studies by independent researchers have consistently
shown that recidivism rates are lowered by as much as fifty
percent as a result of successful participation in the program.
Barnstable District Court First Justice
Joseph J. Reardon, an ardent supporter of the program who
has observed participants for eight years, said Changing Lives
through Literature is a “voyage of self discovery” for many
probationers and it helps them to “re-establish contact with
basic concepts of morality.” Judge Reardon said the program
is designed to prevent repeat offenses and that it works in
the majority of cases.
More than 3500 offenders in Massachusetts have
completed the course in about twenty programs throughout the
state. Courts that have successfully launched programs include
Barnstable, Concord, Dorchester, Framingham, Lowell, Lynn,
New Bedford, Roxbury, Southern Berkshire, Woburn, and Wrentham.
New England Board of Higher Education President
Robert Weygand said, “This program, which proves the power
of literature does alter human lives, is a shining example
of the importance of sustaining excellent humanities education
on our public campuses and has been recognized by the Board
as being a truly exceptional life-changing program.”
Professor Waxler said Changing Lives through Literature
also is cost efficient as it costs less than $500 per offender
while the cost of one year of imprisonment in Massachusetts
is about $25,000. He said last year the program saved the
Commonwealth about three million dollars by keeping offenders
from reoffending.
The Massachusetts program serves
as a model to similar projects in the United States and in
Europe. Texas, Kansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode
Island, New York, and England currently have Changing Lives
Through Literature programs, while Canada and California have
launched pilot projects.
The New England Board of Higher Education is a
nonprofit, congressionally authorized agency whose mission
is to promote greater educational opportunities and services
for the residents of New England. The Board instituted the
awards to recognize individuals and institutions that have
made substantive contributions to the improvement of higher
education opportunities for New England students.
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