“You could have heard a pin drop,” Lincon County Sheriff Todd Brackett said Nov. 7 recounting an educational session at last month’s alternative sentencing program. Brackett updated commissioners at the Nov. 7 meeting about 2023’s final alternative sentencing program. The sheriff’s department conducts two programs each year which are designed to provide criminal offenders a better option than jail. This year, 32 participants attended either a two- or seven-day program, Oct. 20-27, at the Wavus camp in Jefferson. 

Participants perform community service and receive counseling in an effort to guide them away from future criminal activity. For Brackett, working the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift was enjoyable due to witnessing counseling program  hosted by a reformed inmate. Many of the participants are battling substance abuse or alcohol problems. Many of the reformed inmates also had experience with a constant battle with drugs and alcohol. “They tell about their own personal battles and how they won them,” Brackett said. “The whole week was loaded with some great educational opportunities.”

Counseling and educational sessions occurred at night. Topics included teamwork, processing information, building a new life after incarceration, life choices, addiction recovery and roles of law enforcement. During the day, participants worked on community service projects in Phippsburg, Damariscotta, Nobleboro, Jefferson and Wiscasset. Chief Deputy Rand Maker reported participants worked 1,192 hours. “At minimum wage, that is $16,500 worth of labor,” he said. 

In Phippsburg, a crew of 10 cleaned cemeteries. At the Lincoln County Courthouse, a crew of four assisted with grounds maintenance and clean-up. At the Nobleboro boat launch, a crew of four cleared leaves, downed limbs and debris. At the Wavus and Kieve campgrounds, crews removed multiple docks at Kieve, built a room in the Wavus barn for storage, built benches at Kieve and cleaned Wavus cabins, and raked and cleaned up at both camps. 

The fall program had participants from eight counties: Androscoggin, 1; Cumberland, 10; Kennebec, 1; Knox, 9; Lincoln, 1; Penobscot, 2; Sagadahoc, 3; Waldo, 2; and York, 3. The program had 15 two-day attendees which resulted in county jails saving 30 bed days or $4,830. The program also had 17 seven-day attendees which saved 119 beds accounting for $19,159 in savings. “Overall, the program saved 149 bed days with a total cost savings of $23,989,” Maker said.

The next alternative sentencing program is scheduled for April 2024.