Expanding Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Case Managers at Scarborough Police Department.To hire and implement the pivotal position of a Case Manager and support client costs.

LEAD: Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion is a public safety program with a foundation in the Scarborough Police Department, Scarborough, Maine. LEAD is a community-based diversion program aimed at improving public safety and public order by reducing unnecessary criminal justice system involvement. Illegal drug use and crimes to support drug use, such as property crimes and prostitution, have a higher recidivism rate than other crimes. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, 68% of drug offenders are rearrested within three years of release, and most never receive social support services for their substance use and dependency. LEAD was created out of this need to solve the urgent crisis of mass incarceration and recidivism and provides viable, effective alternatives, preventing people from entering the criminal justice system unnecessarily. According to the LEAD National Bureau, participants of LEAD programs are 58% less likely to be arrested after enrollment compared with entering the criminal justice system. 

The position of LEAD Case Manager for the Scarborough Police Department will provide facilitation of services, in partnership with officers and other community agencies, to individuals referred into the program. These interventions, referrals, and advocacy can include services to address mental illness, substance use and dependency, homelessness, socioeconomic disparities, and many other societal issues. These services will support the needs of repeat offenders who have not received adequate social support services. The LEAD Case Manager will conduct intakes, assessments, and tracking of participants throughout their enrollment and reassess progress until program completion using appropriate database software and resources. As a result of participation, individuals, families, and communities will be positively impacted by these services, as evidenced by reducing criminal activities surrounding substance use, homelessness, and mental illness, creating a safer public for the community and surrounding areas.