By R.F. Hosseini

The latest newsletter from San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón’s office included an encouraging shout-out to the 11 recent graduates of Goodwill’s Back on Track program. The program offers first-time, nonviolent drug offenders the opportunity to clear their records and avoid possible jail time by undergoing a year’s worth of intensive job readiness and life skills workshops.

Goodwill of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin administers the program in partnership with the San Francisco District Attorney Office.

DA Gascón’s newsletter singled out the latest batch of graduates and highlighted what makes the program so effective. Approximately 90 percent of Back on Track clients remains out of trouble after graduation, Goodwill records show, a stunning figure when considering that statewide recidivism rates hover around 50 percent.

The DA’s newsletter reads:

Last month, a remarkable group of young people graduated from the Back on Track Program. A graduate ceremony was held to celebrate their achievements and their ability to demonstrate the efficacy of a rigorous re-entry approach. The District Attorney Office is proud to partner with Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin and the Family Service Agency of San Francisco on the Back on Track Program.

The program was started in 2004 with the goal of creating solutions to crime problems in San Francisco. It is known that with good jobs, literacy, education and other support systems, young offenders can take a very different path. Recognizing that this work requires active participation from many sectors of our community, Back on Track was designed as a unique public-private initiative.

The Back on Track graduation is proof that this innovative approach to criminal justice works.

You can read the DA’s full July newsletter here.