Adam John Foss is an American Prosecutor, business innovator, civil and political rights advocate, and a former Assistant District Attorney in the Juvenile Division of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office (SCDAO) in Boston. ^[1] He has the reputation of being a fierce advocate for criminal justice reform, with a particular emphasis on redefining the role of the prosecutor to help end mass incarceration.

He is the founded of Prosecutor Impact, a non-profit which develops training and curriculum for prosecutors to reframe their role in the criminal justice system.

He is also an active speaking and lecturer around the country.

Foss was born in the country of Colombia. He lived in Bogota as a baby before being adopted by white Americans of Irish descent. He would go on to live with his adopted parents in the suburbs of Boston for most of his upbringing. In his talks and interviews, Foss often mentions how he was among one of the only minorities living in his neighborhood.

Foss is a graduate of University of Massachusetts Amherst where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Developmental biology. He graduated in 2002.

Years later he would attended Suffolk University where he received his Juris Doctor degree and graduated Cum Laude.

Foss was a paralegal in the Boston area for many years.

He worked for Fitzhugh & Meriani LLP and also for Law Offices of Rosemary Scapicchio.

After receiving his JD degree and passing the Bar examination, he quickly became the assistant District Attorney for Suffolk County DA.

During his nine years as a prosecutor, Mr. Foss collaborated with the courts and the community to develop programs which continue to have a positive impact on distressed neighborhoods in the Boston area.

He co-founded the Roxbury CHOICE program, for example, to turn probation from a punitive sentence into a beneficial relationship with the court, the probation department, and the District Attorney’s Office.

He also founded the SCDAO Reading Program to bridge the achievement gap of area elementary school students.

Before leaving the District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Foss helped pioneer the first juvenile diversion program in Suffolk County, keeping young people out of the cradle-to-prison pipeline.

Foss co-founded Prosecutor Integrity, a nonprofit in partnership with John Legend and Legend’s manager, Ty Stiklorius. The organization — still very much in the early stages of development — trains prosecutors around the country to view cases through a lens of cultural competency and compassion. Foss’s mission is simple: he wants to better train prosecutors about intervention, diversion, and rehabilitation programs.

Foss continues to be an advocate for social justice and travels around the country to give talks.

He lives in the city of Boston.