Roca’s EACH Program — A Court Specializing in Second Chances
Program Coordinator Martha Cutt, MSW Will Be Featured Speaker at 2025 Western Mass. Grantee Reception
Hampden County’s Emerging Adult Court of Hope (EACH) is a specialty court designed to give young adults facing criminal charges a rare second chance. Participants who successfully complete all phases of the rigorous, 18-24 month program may have their charges dismissed and records sealed, opening the door to a new future.
In 2020, Roca Inc. launched EACH in partnership with Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. Roca, founded in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1988, uses powerful intervention models to disrupt systems of poverty and violence by supporting young people impacted by trauma.
A Massachusetts Bar Foundation grant recipient for the past two years, EACH has become a standout example of what is possible when young people are empowered to seek better outcomes for themselves.
“I think the mainstay of EACH is to give folks another chance,” said Program Coordinator Martha Cutt. “When folks come to court and visit us, you really get to see the young people are running the show for themselves. They’re advocating; they’re communicating with the judge.”
Cutt joined Roca nine years ago, holding several roles before becoming EACH Coordinator in 2022. A licensed social worker with over 20 years of experience in community services, she is driven by a passion for justice and inspiring resilience. Having spent much of her career working with justice-involved individuals, Cutt understands the dedication and care it takes to change the trajectory of someone’s life.
“We’re supporting them and helping them in different ways — cultivating their strengths, working through a lot of cognitive behavioral therapy to shift their mindset, helping them get jobs and get into school,” said Cutt. “But in reality, it’s on the participants. I have profound respect for them.”
Participants, all between the ages of 18 and 24, regularly attend court to monitor their progress. The Honorable Kevin Maltby, First Justice of the Springfield District Court, presides. To complete the program, they must secure stable housing and employment and pursue education — requirements especially difficult to meet with criminal charges. “The bar is high for them,” Cutt said.
Currently, all participants face open firearm charges, which Cutt noted is highly prevalent for young people in Springfield District Court.
“Regular decent housing for them is so hard to find. Being able to bridge that gap and advocate for them to get their foot in the door with jobs when they have open firearm charges is also challenging.”
EACH demands hard work and commitment from both the participants and those who support them, but in the end, the reward can mean the difference between a safe, fulfilling life and a cycle of violence and incarceration. “I think the overall mission is to not have this felony be a barrier to them for the rest of their lives,” said Cutt.
She explained that young people in the program understand their past choices have not led to the opportunities they want. EACH allows them to imagine a new future, not just for themselves but also their families.
“A lot of our young people are either parents or also helping with younger siblings in their household, and they really want to have stability. They want to be a good parent or a good mentor. They realize the life they were leading and going to jail isn’t going to be lucrative or positive for them.”
Outside of the participants’ criminal cases, holistic support proves vital. “The folks who have stepped in and really helped our young people out a ton are lawyers who did pro bono civil legal work for housing and things like that,” Cutt said.
EACH ensures that young adults willing to make a change won’t be defined by their worst mistakes. “A lot of their hope is that they can make it in the world,” said Cutt. “It takes a lot of self-esteem and confidence building for them to believe that this isn’t going to be held against them for the rest of their lives.”
“They express these bigger fears of just being viewed in a very narrow way as opposed to being multifaceted," she continued. But she reminds them, “You’re not just that one thing.”
This December, EACH anticipates celebrating seven new graduates. This will be the largest group yet, bringing the total number who have successfully completed the program to 16. Looking ahead, Cutt hopes awareness of the program will continue to spread. “For young people who could be a good fit for the program, the application has to originate from a lawyer, so the more lawyers that know about the program, the better,” she said.
Many young people haven’t had the resources or support they need to thrive. EACH strives to provide them with those tools. “One of the huge things about having all these different people in the courtroom with them too is talking to them about how big the world is and that it is actually open to them,” said Cutt.
Martha Cutt will be the grantee speaker at the Massachusetts Bar Foundation’s Western Massachusetts Grantee Reception on October 23 alongside program graduate Sedale Collymore. Register today to hear more about how this innovative initiative is transforming lives.