Changing Lives Through Literature

From the Green Mountain Barrister

In the never ending effort to rehabilitate and prevent recidivism, there is a program through which offenders, as a condition of their probation, are ordered to attend and complete homework for six twice-monthly seminars on literature. The program is titled "Changing Lives Through Literature." It is an alternative sentencing program, started in 1991 in Massachusetts, and has been embraced by seven other states. According to the website, cltl.umassd.edu/home-flash.cfm, "[l]iterature has the power to transform men's and women's lives - this is the philosophy behind Changing Lives Through Literature (CLTL). Individuals who read about characters in literature may find a connection between themselves and those characters. If literature is a regular companion in our lives, this is not news. But, many adults and youth do not have access to literature and its transformative nature. CLTL participants, judges, probation officers, and instructors believe that bringing carefully selected works of literature to criminal offenders may help these men and women gain insight into their lives and behavior, while learning that they are not alone with their problems. The written word affects us far beyond the moment of reading."

In addition to Massachusetts, the program is available in seven other states: Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and Rhode Island.