Sarah Abbott
Programme Director for the Framingham Jail Diversion Program in Massachusetts in the USA, Sarah Abbott, graduated with BA (Hons) Community Studies from Bradford & Ilkley Community College in 1992.
Sarah studied on the BA (Hons) Community Studies
course, concentrating on youth work, from 1988 to
1992.
“My time at the Ilkley Campus was spent in classes and
at the Students’ Union, punctuated by trips to the pubs
downtown and long walks in the hills surrounding the
campus. I initially lived on campus and then moved to
Bradford in year 2 in search of the perfect curry...I found
it and much more. Bradford was a vibrant and intriguing
city which had a great deal to offer a young student.
After my 4 year degree I moved to America in search
of adventure and certainly found that too! I have
remained mostly in the Boston area of Massachusetts
and particularly enjoy the long hot summers which
I don’t recall experiencing much of in the North of
England. Since I have lived in the US, I went on to get
a Masters degree in Criminal Justice and am in the
process of completing a PhD in Law, Policy and Society.
I am in the dissertation phase which I hope to complete
within the next year. It’s been hard going to school and
working full time but I look forward to people having to
refer to me as Doctor!
Professionally, I have remained a social worker and have
a license to practice Social Work in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts. I have served in several positions
since my arrival in the US in 1992. I initially worked for
the Bridge of Central MA who brought me over here
through the National Youth Work Exchange programme.
I was subsequently trained as Rape Crisis Counsellor at
the Rape Crisis Centre in Worcester MA and then served
as the Program Manager of an Adolescent Assessment
Unit for the Bridge of Central MA for 3 years, before I
joined the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for 4 years
as an Investigator at the Office of Child Care Services.
I have finally found my niche working in a police
department diverting mentally ill folks away from arrest
for non-violent offences and into treatment. I am now
the director and a clinical responder for the Framingham
Jail Diversion Program. We are in our 6th year of
operation and are a nationally recognized model in
policing practice. My office is in the Police Department
and I ride along with police officers to calls in the
community where individuals have committed low
level misdemeanor offences and can be diverted into
treatment and away from arrest. It has been a fantastic
opportunity and is well received by the officers with
whom I work. I love my job.
I am grateful for the academic and social opportunities
I was afforded through the Bradford & Ilkley Community
College degree and am still close to a couple of the
people I went to College with all those years ago. I am
thrilled to have been asked to participate in the 175th
Anniversary Celebration, may there be many more years
of learning and thriving to come.”
Photograph supplied by Sarah Abbott