Changing Lives Through Literature is a national and internationally-known alternative sentencing program begun in Massachusetts for men and women. Although CLTL is an alternative sentencing program, it reaches the same kinds of men and women who people our prisons; many of them have records that involve prison time. This program works on the theory that literature, as the arts and humanities, can affect one's thinking, self-esteem and thus behavior. A judge, probation officer and professor form a team and all three attend the class which resembles a regular reading group EXCEPT that it's anything but regular. The teacher is the facilitator, helping students, judge and probation officers alike, in a democratic classroom, focus on characters� behavior. There is listening as well as talking in the classroom; everyone's ideas are equal. Many ideas means much reflection as well as discussion around the table. The results? Getting people back into education and getting people to stay out of crime. The judge and probation officers love this program because they see real change in their clients and the facilitators find the insights around the table as transformative for them as for their students.

Programs exist in Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, New York, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island. and   California is working on a program.  England has programs and Australia is considering a CLTL.  The program has been featured on The Today Show, and in pieces in The New York Times, Parade Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Houston Chronicle and in many other papers in the U.S. and abroad.

 As of 2003, CLTL was awarded a $200,000 grant from NEH to develop a website and offer training materials and info for current and developing programs.  And as of 2004, the program received the New England Board of Higher Education award to an institution in New England for its outstanding contribution to education.  Please see our NEW WEBSITE (and paste this address into your browser if the link doesn't work!!!) at http://cltl.umassd.edu