Mike L., an inmate at the Summit County Jail, says he has been a “knucklehead” his entire life. He was first incarcerated when he was 13 and says he has pretty much been locked up ever since. He is 47. But through the MAD4RYouth program, Mike is determined to not let other people make the same mistakes he did.

“I was inspired to start this program a few years ago when I would see younger kids come into the prison who shouldn’t have been here,” said Mike. “One kid in particular was from a well-off family and just felt hopeless. As soon as he got out he committed suicide and that had a profound effect on me.”

Mike and three other inmates who have been in the prison system for numerous years approached Summit County Lieutenant Kati Booth about starting a mentoring program for the local youth. Mike said the group’s goal is to educate youth and “Get them to stop and think about what they are doing before they make bad decisions and end up like us.”

“I have seen a lot of kids get caught up in trouble,” he said. “I have kids myself, and I saw them go down the wrong path because they were traveling in my footsteps. I wanted to do something good instead of bad.”

The program is just getting started, but Mike and Booth said their first talk with a youth group went well and they are excited to get the community involved. The program targets school groups, youth organizations and troubled teens. Booth said she has already had a parent reach out to her who was interested in having her child speak with Mike about making better decisions.

“This isn’t them trying to scare the kids straight,” said Booth. “We don’t believe that works. This is the inmates sitting down with the kids and sharing from their own experiences. They can reason with them better than other adults because they have been there and don’t pass judgment.”

“We know how a good time can turn into jail time,” Mike added.

The program is entirely run by inmates. According to Mike, those who want to take part must meet certain criteria and standards set by their peers. They must go six months without a write-up, not use inappropriate language and want to make a positive change in their own lives.

“We all come from different backgrounds and can relate to anything these kids are going through, gangs, drugs, coming from good homes or coming from bad homes,” said Mike. ‘We don’t want to talk at them, we want to interact with them.”

Booth is hoping that through helping the community, the inmates will also help themselves.

“When you help others you feel better about yourself,” Booth said. “These guys are so invested in the program that when they get out of prison (Mike has two more years) they want to take this even further by speaking at schools and visiting juvenile facilities. Because of that, I think they will stay clean and out of trouble themselves. They have found something more rewarding than getting high. The inmates involved in this program, their whole demeanor has changed. They have stepped up and committed to change.”

Even in an area as prosperous as Summit County, drugs don’t discriminate and parents need to be putting their children first, said Mike.

“Unless people wake up and get involved in their children’s lives, their kids are going to have a rough time,” he said. “I have seen some children come in here who started doing drugs when they were 12. It is a big issue that won’t go away. If parents are willing to take part in our program, we can tell them the warning signs and things to look for.”

Mike is hoping the program will continue to grow and expand to include a 12-week mentoring program and partnerships with the local schools.

To find out more about the Mad4RYouth program or to become involved, contact Kati Booth at (435)615-3710.

Editor’s Note: The inmate’s last name is withheld at the request of the Summit County Jail for privacy and security reasons.