Frequently Asked Questions

U-CAN is a court-based mentoring program in which volunteer mentors are paired with young men and women who have committed a crime (or, in Family Court, come under the control of the court for a variety of reasons).  Typically, these young offenders come from troubled backgrounds and are on a path that is likely to lead them to state prison.  U-CAN seeks to provide, through a mentor, the support and structure they need to successfully navigate a year of probation and begin to realize their potential to become productive, law-abiding, tax-paying members of our community.

U-CAN was created as a means of assisting struggling youth. It combines compassion, structure and tough love in a unique and highly effective strategy.  U-CAN was the brainchild of Albany County Judge Andra Ackerman, who comes from a troubled and traumatic childhood. Check out her inspiring story:

Yes! When we started the program, we were warned to expect a failure rate of at least 80 percent; these are, by any measure, high risk individuals who have been led to believe they are losers and failures. With the U-CAN strategy, more than 80 percent of those who have entered the program have graduated. And most importantly, the vast majority have gone on to become law-abiding, tax-paying members of our community, working and raising families.

Courts across the State of New York have embraced U-CAN and several more are in the process of starting programs: Albany County Court Albany Family Court Binghamton City Court Buffalo City Court Cohoes City Court Erie County Court Erie County Family Court Hudson City Court Niagara County Family Court Rensselaer City Court Schenectady City Court Schenectady Family Court Syracuse City Court Warren County Family Court

We have several strategic partnerships and are always receptive to working with organizations that share our mission. Among the organizations we partner with are: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks Capital District YMCA Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood      Hood’s House of Hoops NYS Mentoring Program PathStone Young Adult Reentry Partnership Social Enterprise and Training Center (SEAT) Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 83

Absolutely! The courts belong to the people and, with few exceptions, are fully open to the public. If you would like to view a U-CAN Court in action, you are welcome to stop in, unannounced, and observe. Contact us and we'll let you know when and where a U-CAN session will be held.