Press Release  Leading advocate for criminal justice reform Adam Foss will address Berkshire courts and law enforcement community

Boston — Adam Foss, Executive Director of Prosecutor Impact and an advocate for criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration, will address court and probation employees, law enforcement, and members of the legal community on Wednesday, October 30, 10:30 am, at the Berkshire Probate & Family Court, 44 Bank Row, in Pittsfield.  While space is limited, there are still seats available for Trial Court employees interested in attending.

The talk, “Vision for a better Criminal Justice System,” is being hosted by the Berkshire Probate & Family Court.  This event is a continuation of the efforts by the court to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. In September, Berkshire Probate & Family was one of more than 80 court departments across the Commonwealth that hosted Cultural Appreciation Week activities. Last year, Berkshire Probate & Family welcomed Dr. Tracie Keesee, Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion for the New York City Police Department, who spoke about “Bridging the Gap: Improving Relationships Between the Community and the Criminal Justice System.

A former prosecutor, Foss is a visiting senior fellow at Harvard Law School. He has also been widely recognized throughout the state and nation. Foss was honored as the 2017 Nelson Mandela Changemaker of the Year by the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Fast Company acknowledged him as one of this year’s Most Creative People in Business and The Root referred to Foss as one of the 100 most influential Black Americans of 2016. In 2015, the National Law Journal selected him as one of the country’s top 40 up and coming lawyers. The Massachusetts Bar Association voted him Prosecutor of the Year in 2013. Foss’s alma mater, Suffolk University Law School, selected him as “Graduate of the Last Decade.”

Berkshire Probate & Family Chief Probation Officer Amy Koenig, one of the organizers of the event, said she is hoping that the Foss’s talk will provide a space for court employees, law enforcement, and the community to engage in dialogue about diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“We are excited to have Adam Foss speak at the court. It is our goal to build and enhance relationships between the criminal justice system and our community,” Koenig said.

******If you wish to attend, please contact Wendy Dumas at wendy.dumas@jud.state.ma.us

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