Sheriff Hodgson knows that working in the schools today teaching
the values of honesty and accountability will help many of our
young people stay in school and stay on track. An education is
key to
becoming law-abiding citizens who contribute to their communities.
These are a few of the programs new to the Bristol County Sheriff's
Department since Tom Hodgson took office:
Choices Originating
in 1997, Choices is
a unique collaborative between Bristol County Sheriff Hodgson and
Dr. Irving Fradkin, founder of Dollars for Scholars
and the American Dream Challenge. Dr. Francis is known nationally
for his efforts to convince young people to stay in school.
Choices brings
a member of the Sheriff's Office and inmates directly into
the classroom or auditorium to discuss drug and alcohol
abuse. Inmates
share the consequences of their own bad decisions and the difficulties
they face in jail, and upon their eventual release.
Both
male and female inmates are
carefully selected from one of the minimum-security facilities
in Bristol County to send
this important message.
Project
S.L.A.M.
Life in the Bristol County House of Correction is not easy. Inmates
are told when to wake up and when to go to sleep, where they can
and can't go, and what to eat and drink.
Accompanied by members of the Sheriff's
Office, students pass through metal detectors and other security
systems for a tour of the jail. Once inside, students learn first-hand
what it's like being locked up in a jail cell.
The tour wraps with a frank presentation
from male and female inmates about their own life of crime. These
stories include drug abuse and addiction, prostitution, gangs, AIDS,
violence and murder. These are real stories spoken from the heart
and directed to teach kids about the terrible fate of life in the
jail.
Sheriff's
Reading Program
Sheriff Hodgson's philosophy that education is a significant deterrent
for incarceration prompted him to adopt the Sheriff's Reading
Program.
The Sheriff, or a uniformed Correctional
Officer, will visit with students in grades K-5, and read an age-appropriate
book, or tell a story about the importance of making good choices
and staying out of trouble.
Students will interact and ask questions
after the reading.
Internet
Safety Tips
Working with the schools in Bristol Country, Sheriff Hodgson sends
in department personnel to help prevent dangerous internet threats
to school children. The messages are:
Always tell a parent or another adult
immediately if something is confusing or seems scary
Never give out full name, address,
phone number, school location or schedule. Check with an
adult
for any exceptions.
Never meet face-to-face with someone you've
met online
Never respond online to any messages that
seem scary, or just feel weird.
Never send a picture over the internet
or in regular mail to anyone without a parent's permission
