- Massachusetts Probation Service
Ms. Alexander and her helpers loaded celebration bags — containing the certificate, lunch, snacks, and a specially designed cookie — into their cars and then drove to the young men's homes.
The Evolution Program is a six-week restorative justice initiative and a collaborative effort with Roxbury Court's 18-month CHOICE Program which was created to reduce recidivism among youthful offenders, 18-24 years old.
“During the mobile graduation ceremony, we socially distanced and followed the CDC and Trial Court guidelines. With COVID-19, we were thinking of ways to celebrate the graduates and their completion of the program,” said Ms. Alexander. “Pre-COVID, we would have had a big celebration for them.”
“The CHOICE Program and its addition of Young Men’s Evolution is helping to meet the needs of these young men and encourages them to make better choices. They are inspired by the facilitators who have experienced life behind the walls and are now contributing positively to society. Roxbury Probation Officer Edith Alexander has done wonders with the CHOICE Program and serves as a great example of innovative, community-based probation work,” said Commissioner of Probation Edward J. Dolan.
The drive-by ceremony was followed with a Zoom event featuring speaker Adam Foss, Executive Director of Prosecutor Impact, and an advocate for criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration. The graduates include seven young men who are on probation or Pretrial probation at the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court (BMC). The program was taught by four formerly incarcerated men —Eric Anderson, Bobby Iacoviello, Emmanuel Williams, and Armand Coleman.
The instructors facilitate Restorative Justice Circles which “provide an opportunity for community members to come together to address harmful behavior in a process that explores harms and needs, obligations, and necessary engagement,” according to the Center for Restorative Justice. They are also referred to as C4RJ circles.
Massachusetts Probation Service
Effective Monday, July 20, 2020, the Office of the Commissioner of Probation will be open to the public by appointment only. If you wish to make an appointment or speak with someone regarding sealing or expunging a record or have questions for the Records Unit, please call (617) 557-0225.