Changing Lives Through Literature: Implementation & Evaluation

The CLTL program at the Juvenile probation department works with court involved youth between the ages of 12 – 19 years of age. The program is designed to explore prosocial character themes through the use of literature. The program facilitators select short stories, poems, music lyrics, and/or short films that center around themes for example, respect, love, education, violence, family, friendship, leadership, and the like. The judge, probation officer, facilitators and youth read the literature together, then discuss what the author is trying to get across. Then the level of discussion shifts to what reading do they identify with personally or have seen in their community. The last 10 - 15 minutes the participants do a reflective write on what they read and discussed. Each semester the UMass students conduct a tour for the youth at UMass Boston, and have the youth meet with the pre-collegiate programs on campus. The program starts in the first week of each semester and goes on for 11 weeks

Study of Sexual Exploitation in Boston

This project helps policymakers target resources and implement policies to facilitate the exit of prostituted individuals from sexual exploitation, and to deter those who facilitate the sale of sex and those who buy sex (“Johns”) from engaging in this exploitive behavior. This study interviews members of the Boston Police Department, survivors of sexual exploitation, Johns, and facilitators of the sale of sex. Boston is aiming to decrease demand for prostituted individuals by 20% over the next two years, and this research is the first step in that initiative