THIS NEW YORK CITY PROGRAM BEGAN INFORMALLY WHEN PERSONNEL OF PROJECT RETURN, A DRUG TREATMENT FACILITY, BEGAN TO SEARCH FOR MEANINGFUL WAYS TO INVOLVE OFFENDERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO HELP THEM DEVELOP MARKETABLE SKILLS. THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED IN FOUR PHASES. DURING THE FIRST, INFORMAL ESCORT AND ERRAND-RUNNING SERVICES WERE PROVIDED WHILE THE PROGRAM BUILT A RECORD IN THE COMMUNITY. DURING THE SECOND PHASE, PROJECT S.C.O.U.T. ACTIVELY SOUGHT POLICE COOPERATION. THE POLICE CALLED S.C.O.U.T. TO HELP WITH ROUTINE POLICE-ESCORT CALLS AND TO PROVIDE SIMPLE FORMS OF AID, SUCH AS TAKING ELDERLY PERSONS TO THE DOCTOR OR TO THE GROCERY STORE--DUTIES WHICH WERE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF POLICE WORK BUT WHICH THE POLICE WERE OFTEN ASKED TO PERFORM. THEN, S.C.O.U.T. MADE CONTACT WITH HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS WHICH HAD LARGE NUMBERS OF SENIOR CITIZENS. AN INTENSIVE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ADVERTISED THE SERVICES AVAILABLE AND THE S.C.O.U.T. PHONE NUMBER. FINALLY, IN THE FOURTH PHASE, FUNDING WAS SOUGHT, A PROJECT FACILITY WAS ESTABLISHED, AND THOSE INVOLVED WITH DRUG TREATMENT BEGAN TO ACCEPT THE CONCEPT AS A VIABLE FORM OF THERAPY. THE PROGRAM HAS AIDED DRUG OFFENDERS BY INCREASING SELF ESTEEM, IMPROVING CHANCES OF REENTRY INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND DEVELOPING EMPLOYMENT SKILLS. THE ELDERLY HAVE RECEIVED ESCORT, TRANSPORTATION, EMERGENCY HELP, AND COMPANIONSHIP. THE POLICE HAVE RECEIVED HELP IN SERVING A VULNERABLE POPULATION AND HAVE DEVELOPED A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH TRADITIONAL ADVERSARIES. THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL AND GIVES A CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. DIAGRAMS AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.