On Thursday, November 14, 2024, 10 individuals in the Greenfield court system ended one chapter and began the next after graduating from GCC’s Changing Lives Through Literature program. The program is part of a national alternative sentencing program offered through a partnership between GCC, Franklin Superior Court and the District Courts of Greenfield and Orange.

Participants met weekly for 10 weeks with probation officers, judges, and a facilitator to discuss assigned literature.

By completing the program participants are now eligible for reduced sentences. Research has also shown that the program reduces recidivism. And for those who do re-offend, their offenses are less ‘serious’ than non-participants.

The program was brought to Franklin County in 2015 through the combined efforts of Judge Laurie MacLeod, Judge Mary Lou Rup (retired) and Sheila Moriarty, the Chief Probation Officer in Franklin Superior Court. To date, 75 probationers have successfully completed the program and many have gone on to enroll at GCC. Judge MacLeod remarked at Thursday’s ceremony, “Nothing makes me happier than when I learn that a participant in Changing Lives through Literature has enrolled at GCC.”

GCC’s Social Sciences Department Chair and program facilitator Brian Kapitulik says about the project, “The whole idea is to use the transformative power of literature to cultivate empathy, foster connection and support rehabilitation. It’s about identifying what we share in common and bringing people together across life experiences.”

Kapitulik notes that this year’s graduating cohort is twice the size of last year’s and the impact on last years’ graduates is already evident. He describes how one of last year’s graduates is now enrolled at GCC after several decades away from college. That student reports that the staff and faculty at the college have made him feel completely welcome at GCC and like he belongs.

Two of last year’s participants have even returned to take the class for a second time. While they certainly appreciate the reduction of their probation that comes with completing the class, it’s not the only reason they’re back. They both have talked about what a great experience it was for them– a great way to connect with others and something to look forward to each week.

The program was initially started by UMass Dartmouth English Prof. Robert Waxler, Judge Robert Kane and New Bedford District Court probation officer Wayne St. Pierre in 1991 in New Bedford, Mass., and has expanded to 12 states, as well as in Manchester, England.