Criminal Justice Reform

An Alternative Vision for Criminal Justice in Massachusetts

Based on over 20 years of experience and learning about what it takes to turn the lives of young people around, Roca is committed to a vision of criminal justice in Massachusetts that incorporates the lessons of Roca. It is a vision of transformation, rather than punishment, based on what we know works with high risk young people.

For the criminal justice system in Massachusetts, the time for change is now. Our prisons are overcrowded, and at a cost of $45,000 per inmate per year, unaffordable. A prison may have to be shut down this year to close the budget gap. Nearly half of those released from prison are back behind bars within three years. And young people are still not safe from violence on the streets of their communities. The system is not working.

Many other states – including California, Connecticut, Kansas and Michigan – have responded to their budget crises by shifting resources from prisons to community-based alternatives, saving money and improving public safety at the same time. Texas, facing a projected $1.13 billion increase in prison beds due to overcrowding, decided to invest $241 million in residential and community rehabilitation programming instead. Not only did Texas save hundreds of millions of dollars, but recidivism rates dropped 24 percent the following year. By reclassifying non-violent offenses, and consistently employing risk and needs assessments to manage offenders, South Carolina saved $350 million.

Massachusetts needs a robust system of community corrections to end the cycle of crime and imprisonment that is bursting the budget and failing to change lives. As a modest first step, Roca has proposed pilot projects to incorporate Roca’s intervention model into the criminal justice system in two locations, providing intensive supervision and programming for young offenders ages 18 to 24 who are at high risk of re-offending. Differing from existing community corrections programs in intensity, comprehensiveness, and use of evidence-based practices, and differing from Roca’s existing program because participation is mandatory, these pilot programs will put Roca’s intervention model to work in the mainstream criminal justice system – and accelerate Roca’s success at changing young people’s lives.