Court Services
507 Third Street • Columbus, IN 47201
Probation Phone 812-379-1640 • Fax 812-373-2075
Juvenile Probation Fax 812-373-2075
Community Corrections Fax 812-379-1565
About Us
INTEGRITY-TEAMWORK- RESPECT- HONESTY-EFFECTIVENESS-ACCOUNTABILITY
Statement of
Purpose
We are committed to making
the community safer
by reducing the risk of
repetitive criminal behavior.
ABOUT COURT SERVICES
In Bartholomew County, Court Services has been changing how it does business. In the mid 1990s, Adult/Juvenile Probation, Community Corrections and the Alternative Sentencing Program (Alcohol/Drug Program) were combined into Court Services. In August 2001, the National Institute of Corrections, The International Community Corrections Association, Indiana Department of Correction, Bartholomew County Court Services and Bartholomew County Courts sponsored training that was held to introduce “What Works.” The Judges, Sheriff, Prosecuting Attorney and the majority of Court Services staff attended this training and were provided information on evidence based empirically validated programs. This information has provided direction for the Courts and Court Services. Since that training, the local Judiciary, staff and community representatives have continued to meet to evaluate what is taking place within the Courts, Court Services, Youth Services and local/state treatment agencies. Court Services continues to address the issue of recidivism and transition through “What Works.”
Court Services utilizes office visits, urine drug screens, and home visits with searches to monitor compliance of court orders and probation rules. Home visits and searches are an important part of monitoring compliance. Searches are conducted in partnership with the State Police, Columbus Police and/or Sheriff’s Department.
JUVENILE PROBATION
Juvenile Probation consists of a supervisor, four (4) probation officers and a secretary. Juvenile probation makes referrals to several home based programs, residential programs and treatment agencies to provide services. Juvenile probation also provides in-house programming facilitated by juvenile probation staff. This program, Thinking For A Change, is a 22 session cognitive based program.
Teen Court
The Teen Court program was created through a collaborative effort with the Leadership Bartholomew County Group, Circuit Court, Court Services, Foundation For Youth, the Prosecutor’s Office, Attorneys and other concerned community members. The program serves as a diversion for juvenile’s referred to Probation. First-time offenders that have committed minor offenses are referred to Teen Court in lieu of informal supervision with Juvenile Probation.
ADULT PROBATION
Adult Probation has one supervisor and six probation officers (four of whom specialize in alcohol/drug cases), one part-time interstate compact probation officer, a part-time report writer and a secretary. The Indiana Judicial Center certified Bartholomew County Court Services Alcohol/Drug Division in April of 2000. Re-certification was conducted in 2003 and is valid through July 2006. Alcohol/Drug Probation Officers provide court ordered evaluations for all persons referred for having alcohol/drug charges. They also provide Level II and Level III Prime education programs. “Prime For Life” is a cognitive based Level II and III Alcohol/Drug Education group. In addition, through a contract with Su Casa, Court Services provides “Prime For Life” for Spanish speaking clients.
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
Indiana's community-based corrections started when the Indiana State Legislature passed the Community Corrections Act in 1980. This act enables "counties to develop a coordinated, local corrections criminal justice system," and it also allows for counties to provide "effective alternatives to imprisonment at the state level."
The Indiana Department of Correction has funded county programs under the Community Corrections Grant Act since 1980. Half of all Indiana counties currently receive funding for Community Corrections programs. Some of the programs being funded throughout the state include:
- Community Service Restitution / Public Restitution Programs
- Residential Programs
- Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program.
- Home Detention/Electronic Monitoring
- Work Release
- Jobs Program, Work Empowerment and Jail Services Programs
- Work Crew, Jail Community Service, and Law Enforcement Restitution programs
- Day Reporting
- Community Transition Program (CTP)
- Forensic Diversion
These programs enable county judicial officials to expand and explore in the area of sentencing.
The Bartholomew County Community Corrections Department was organized after receiving state funds from the Department of Correction in August 1986. Currently operating several components under grant funds, Bartholomew County has found community-based corrections a very integral part of its judicial system. A community-oriented program provides any of the following…
- Prevention of crime or delinquency
- Expedition of Community Restitution
- Services to persons charged with, or diverted from charge for, a crime or act of delinquency
- Services to persons on probation
- Services to persons sentenced to imprisonment in the County Jail
- Services to victims of crime or delinquency
- Punishment for non-violent offenders within the community
Home Detention
Home Detention is a program that confines offenders to their homes rather than in a secure facility. The participating offenders must remain in their home unless at a location previously approved by the Court or Community Corrections officials. A computer based in the Community Corrections office electronically monitors participating offenders. The electronic monitoring is compounded with frequent personal visits that are conducted by the Home Detention staff. All participants are required to pay their hour's wage or a minimum fee as determined by the Community Corrections program. This enables the program to be fiscally self-supportive, and not a burden to taxpayers. Random drug and alcohol screens (at the offender's expense) are also conducted. This is to ensure chemical abstinence while the offender remains in the community. The Home Detention Program has proven itself effective in reducing local jail and prison populations.
Electronic Monitoring
Electronic Monitoring provides similar supervision as Home Detention but allows the program participant to earn privileges. However, individuals on this component do not qualify for statutory credit time toward their jail sentence.
Day Reporting
Day Reporting is an intensive, case management component that utilizes electronic monitoring as a tool for the initial monitoring of a participant. In addition, participants meet with probation officers who assess their criminal risk and needs and develop a case plan for the participant. Services may include individual counseling and group programs that address criminal thinking and substance abuse. While on electronic monitoring, the participant is required to abide by the rules of electronic monitoring.
Community Service
Community Service is a program that allows for the offender to symbolically pay back the community that they have harmed. The offenders are sentenced by the judges to the Community Corrections Department, and are ordered to complete a set number of community service hours. The Community Service worker is then placed with a not-for-profit organization, agency or governmental office where they complete the hours of community service that were ordered by the court. A coordinator with the Community Corrections Department carefully monitors this process. The coordinator checks with the agency, making sure that the offenders is coming in regularly to complete the hours, as well as monitoring the offenders' attitude and quality of work that they are completing. The coordinator also is responsible for reporting any negative incidents back to the court. This is to help reinforce to the offender that they must learn to be responsible for themselves and their actions. Bartholomew County has over 50 agencies participating in the Community Service program. Approximately 32,000 public restitution hours are completed at these agencies annually, thus providing the community with a very valuable service.
Forensic Diversion
In April of 2004, Bartholomew County Court Services was one of five counties in Indiana selected by IDOC to receive funding for the Forensic Diversion program. This program targets non-violent adult female felons who have been clinically diagnosed with a mental illness and/or addictive disorder and assessed as having a high to moderate/high risk to recidivate. A Day Reporting Probation Officer works with the offender and a Case Manager from Quinco to determine appropriate treatment for addiction and mental health issues. The offender has numerous weekly contacts with the Quinco case manager, treatment programs and Probation Officer.
Work Crew
The Work Crew program allows probationers to be supervised by Community Corrections staff at various community work sites. Numerous non-profit and governmental agencies use the work crew for various tasks or projects. Further, program participants pay to work and this assists in the fiscal support of the program.
Community Transition (CTP)
CTP started in 1999 and has continued to be used by the local courts through the present day. This component, while separate, utilizes the staff and programs of Day Reporting. Participants are DOC inmates that are involved in an early release program. They are evaluated prior to early release from the Department of Corrections by staff to determine appropriateness. Recommendations are then made to the sentencing court as to whether the individual is or is not appropriate. Those participants, who are accepted, pay a daily fee and the Department of Corrections provides Community Corrections with additional funding.
PRE-TRIAL SERVICES
In September 2002, Court Services added a staff member, Pretrial Services Officer. This position was added in the wake of jail overcrowding concerns. Since that time, this officer has been instrumental in maintaining detailed information regarding the jail population, providing pertinent information and reports to the Courts considering pretrial release of offenders and supervising offenders released to pretrial supervision.
STAFF TRAINING
In 2003, the Department altered the organizational makeup by dedicating one staff position to training, coaching and mentoring. Since that time, attention to staff development has increased training and helping opportunities.
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