MET Criminal Justice Lecturer Advocates for Correctional Reform at Massachusetts State House
Like so many Metropolitan College instructors, James Matesanz brings to his criminal justice classroom a wealth of practical experience in the field. During his career, Professor Matesanz was a leader in corrections, serving as superintendent in the Department of Corrections and Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. It’s a history that informs how he teaches—notably in his courses, Corrections: Concepts, Systems, and Issues (MET CJ 271), and Rehabilitation and Re-Integration (MET CJ 511).
It is because of this leadership experience and expertise that Professor Matesanz was invited to the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, to present before the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus. As part of the Correctional Reform Working Group—an assemblage of academics, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers tasked with making recommendations regarding structural changes to improve the criminal justice and correctional systems—Matesanz provided legislators with a historical context to the cyclical nature of reform efforts, instances of crises, and compounding subsequent reactions.
The presentation examined US and Massachusetts incarceration policy from the 1960s through today, putting emphasis on reform efforts that have proved effective—particularly the development and expansion of prerelease centers and use of halfway houses, work release, education release, and furloughs.
“While ongoing research documented the positive impact on reducing recidivism rates of these programs, the ‘tough on crime/war on drugs’ era and subsequent wave of mass incarceration derailed many of the community release programs,” Matesanz says.
As Matesanz and his colleagues described, the number of citizens sent to jail and prison in the US and in Massachusetts increased by about 400 percent from 1974 to 2010. Speaking at the Massachusetts State Legislature, at the invitation of Senator Jamie Eldridge, the group advocated that prerelease and reentry programs be expanded; that more prerelease centers be tailored to meet the needs of individuals who are incarcerated with behavioral health needs, disabilities, and elder care needs; and that funding be expanded to reduce waitlists.
A notable fellow member of the working group is Olivia Savard (MET’24), an MS in Criminal Justice with concentration in Crime Analysis grad who Matesanz calls “critical” to developing the legislative presentation.
This summer, Professor Matesanz is bringing his expertise to a new special topics course focused on the intersection of two critical areas, Mental Health and Justice Policy (MET CJ 510)—a rare opportunity for those interested in learning more about current practices, challenging issues, and vital reforms needed in these areas.
Learn more about the Correctional Reform Working group at their website.