|
|
|
Porter County’s juvenile drug court was officially opened this week, holding court for its first clients. The Porter County Juvenile & Family Drug Court, located in the Juvenile Services Center, opened after recently receiving an initial six-month certification from the Indiana Judicial Center. The new court is aimed at juveniles who have a drug dependency and who are at risk for being removed from their homes due to substance use. All drug court offenders will have a team that will work with the juveniles and their families through the recovery process. The team will consist of the juvenile court judge, prosecutor, public defender, probation officer, school representative, and therapist. Porter County has had an adult drug court in place for about two years, targeting adult offenders with substance abuse issues. The new juvenile court will function similarly to the adult court, but will be structured to meet the specific needs of juvenile offenders, with a strong emphasis on treatment. The Porter County Council this year funded a new probation officer in the Juvenile Probation Department specifically for the new court. Initially, the court will be limited to 10 participants; the presiding judge is Porter County Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper. Only two other Indiana counties currently have a juvenile drug court. Court officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week formally beginning the new court. Community members and agencies who were involved in the formation of the court were honored at the ceremony. They included Porter Superior Court Judge Julia Jent, Porter County Prisoners and Community Together, the Porter County Commissioners and County Council, and the Indiana Judicial Center.
Posted 10/10/2008
|
