Saco's "Jump-Start" Program

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A Newsletter by the City of Saco, Maine	July, 2005	Return to newsletter index

Jump-Start is a program for first time non-violent juvenile offenders in conjunction with juvenile probation and the court systems. It is an eight-week program for middle and high school level juveniles and is held at the Saco Police Department one night a week.

Each week focuses on a specific skill for the juveniles, including decision making, setting goals, evaluating situations and making good choices. Each session targets a different theme that utilizes the Five Steps of Decision Making.

Mike Carrier

One of the important factors of this program is that each juvenile is assigned to an adult volunteer mentor from the community. The mentor assists the juvenile in the decision making process, developing rapport with the juvenile by sharing his or her own experiences to enhance the learning experience. During each session, the student and mentor work on exercises that coincide with each theme. Juveniles learn to not only make good choices but also learn to become a better member of the community.

This program provides for an immediate, proactive consequence. In the past, juveniles have had to wait months for their court date, which only gave them more time to re-offend. This program offers intervention and promotes communication between the offender, their family, the court system and the community.

Since the inception of Jump-Start, the police department has seen a success rate of approximately 70% of the juveniles continuing to make good decisions after the completion of the Jump-Start program. This confidential program is an outlet for juveniles to share and learn from their choices and experiences.

We are always seeking additional adult mentors for this program. We will provide the training, guidance and support necessary for a volunteer to participate in this vital service to Saco, so if you think you may be interested in 'giving back' a little to your community this is an excellent, rewarding opportunity for you to consider.

For more information, contact Officer Michael Carrier or Officer Matthew Yeaton at the Saco Police Department at 284-4535. You can also contact Mary Alice Tripp, Mentor Coordinator, at 283-1965.