BIDDEFORD – Three years after Major Raymond Porter took the reins of Waldo County's new reentry program, a 2015 national study proved the success of Porter's efforts. At a time when national recidivism averaged 67.8 percent, Porter's program held strong at only 31 percent.

For this, as well as other reasons, Major Raymond Porter, Director of the Maine Coastal Regional Reentry Center, was named Maine Sheriff's Association ‘Manager of the Year’ in ceremonies held in Biddeford, Thursday, March 15.

According to the award narrative submitted in Porter’s honor, “His dedication and passion for reentry shows every day in his commitment to change the lives of residents.”

Porter took over the fledgling MCRRC program in 2012, and since 2010, 126 males have graduated the reentry program. These were residents with significant risk factors that stood as serious impediments to their successful reintegration into society, according to the award narrative.

The graduates range in age from their teens to their senior years. Each resident was subjected to an LSI-R, and the population ranged from 19 percent scoring medium risk, 54 percent scoring High risk and 16.7 percent scoring as maximum risk.

Through the program, the residents conducted community service and gained employment. The community service hours totaled approximately 22,000 hours and, at $7.50 an hour, this translates into $172,095 given back to the community. The residents are also required to pay toward their fines, restitution, child support and boarding. This resulted in $103,707 paid back to the facility in boarding fees, $60,136 paid toward fines and restitution, and $171,934 paid in child support.

The residents' physical labors are also benefiting the larger community. They've provided the labor to plant, maintain, harvest produce at the Waldo County Garden Project in Swanville. That produce is then delivered to food pantries and local nonprofit organizations around Waldo County.

During seven years of operation the garden has grown from producing a little more than 20,000 pounds in the first year to producing 109,000 pounds in the 2017 growing season.

“All these things have been accomplished under the guiding hand of Major Raymond Porter,” the narrative said.

Read the entire award narrative here:

Major Porter began his Corrections Career with the Waldo County Sheriff's Office as a full time Corrections Officer in 1993. Ray's exceptional attitude and aptitude resulted in his promotion to Corporal in 1996 and to Sergeant in 1999. In 2000, at the age of 21 years old, then Sheriff Scott Story, recognized Ray's potential and promoted him to the position of Jail Administrator. Ray served as the Jail Administrator until he departed for a position with the State of Maine's probation and parole office in 2005. During his 7 year hiatus from the Sheriff's Office Ray continued to progress in his career and developed exceptional case management experience.

In 2012, with the recently created MCRRC in need of a new administrator to guide this young program, Sheriff Story again reached out to his talented and tenacious friend Raymond Porter to return to the Sheriff's Office as the Jail Administrator. With a great deal of finesse and some coercion Raymond was convinced that he wanted to accept the challenge of guiding this newly formed reentry center to reach the level of success that he knew it was capable of achieving.

In 2015 a study was conducted of the MCRRC to gauge the success of the program. This study revealed just how successful the program had become under the direction of Major Porter. The study showed that, since 2010, 126 males had graduated the reentry program. These graduates range in age from their teens to their senior years. Each resident was subjected to an LSI-R and the population ranged from 19% scoring
medium risk, 54% scoring High risk and 16.7% scoring as maximum risk. These were residents with significant risk factors that stood as serious impediments to their successful reintegration into society.

The report indicated that in spite of a national average recidivism rate of 67.8% the graduates of the MCRRC were experiencing a 31% recidivism rate. This statistic alone marks a great success but it is only the start of the benefits of the program. While participating in the program these residents conducted community service and gained employment. The community service hours totaled approximately 22,000 hours and at
$7.50 an hour this translates into $172,095 given back to the community. The residents are also required to pay toward their fines, restitution, child support and boarding. This resulted in $103,707 paid back to the facility in boarding fees, $60,136 paid toward fines and restitution, and $171,934 paid in child support. Now with seven years of operation the above numbers have climbed even higher.

In 2010 Commissioner William Shorey began the Waldo County Garden Project on five leased acres in the Town of Swanville. The residents of the MCRRC provided the labor to plant, maintain, harvest and deliver the produce to food pantries and local nonprofit organizations around Waldo County. During seven years of operation the garden has grown from producing a little over 20,000 pounds in the first year to producing 109,000 pounds in the 2017 growing season. All the produce from the project is given to those in need through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens and nonprofit organizations throughout the County.

Major Porter has worked tirelessly over the past two years to prepare the facility to gain its PREA certification. In January of 2018 the auditing process has begun and we hope to be the second County in Maine to gain our certification.

The above statistics are milestones in the story of success at the MCRRC. The figures do not encompass the impact on human lives, families and the community with the reduction of crime and victimization. All these things have been accomplished under the guiding hand of Major Raymond Porter. His dedication and passion for reentry shows every day in his commitment to change the lives of residents. Major Porter is loved and deeply respected by those who work with him and for him.

For the reasons above and many unspoken this is why Major Raymond Porter was recognized as the MSA Manager of the Year.