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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 1994, Bartholomew County changed how it did business. Adult/Juvenile Probation, Community Corrections and the Alternative Sentencing Program (Alcohol/Drug Program) were combined into Bartholomew County 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 an introductory training for “What Works.” The Judges, Sheriff, Prosecuting Attorney and the majority of Court Services staff attended this training that 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 service delivery within the Courts, Court Services, Youth Services and local/state treatment agencies. Court Services continues to strive to reduce the risk of recidivism and to implement “What Works.”

Court Services plays an integral role in the delivery of services to offenders as well as holding those offenders accountable for compliance with court orders and supervision rules. Court Services refers clients to outside agencies for services but also provides in-house programming (see below for a discussion). Office visits, urine drug screens, and home visits with searches are used all are an important part of monitoring compliance. Searches are conducted in partnership with the Indiana State Police, Columbus Police Department and/or Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

JUVENILE PROBATION

Juvenile Probation consists of a supervisor, four (4) probation officers and a secretary. Juvenile Probation refers to several home based programs, residential programs and treatment agencies for services. Juvenile probation also provides in-house programming facilitated by juvenile probation staff: Thinking For A Change, a 22 session cognitive based program.

ADULT PROBATION

Adult Probation has one supervisor and eight (8) probation officers (four of whom are Alcohol/Drug probation officers specializing in alcohol/drug cases ), and a secretary. The Indiana Judicial Center certified Bartholomew County Court Services Alcohol/Drug Program in April of 2000. Re-certification was conducted in 2003 and Alcohol/Drug Probation Officers provide court ordered evaluations for all persons referred for having alcohol/drug charges and instruct “Prime For Life” which is a cognitive based 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. Over 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
Day Reporting
Community Transition Program (CTP)
Forensic Diversion

These programs enable county judicial officials to expand and explore sentencing options.

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 Community Corrections staff. Daily fees charged to all participants enabling the program to be fiscally self-supportive, and not a burden to taxpayers. Random drug and alcohol tests (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 supervision, 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 the offender to symbolically pay back the community for harm. The offenders are ordered to complete a set number of community service hours. The offender is then placed with a not-for-profit organization, agency or governmental office to complete the hours of community service that were ordered by the court. A coordinator with the Community Corrections Department carefully monitors the offender’s progress by checking with the agency, ensuring that the offenders is regularly reporting to complete the hours, as well as monitoring the offenders' attitude and quality of work. The coordinator also is responsible for reporting any negative incidents to the court in an effort the hold the offender accountable. Bartholomew County refers to over 50 agencies in the Community Service program. Annually, approximately 32,000* community restitution hours are completed at these agencies: this work provided the community with a very valuable service.

Forensic Diversion
In April 2004, Bartholomew County was one of five Indiana counties selected by IDOC to receive funding for the Forensic Diversion program. This program targets non-violent adult felons who have been clinically diagnosed with a mental illness and/or addictive disorder and are assessed as having a moderate to high risk to recidivate. A Probation Officer works with the offender and a Case Manager from the local mental health center to determine appropriate treatment for addiction and mental health issues. The program is designed to provide the offender with numerous weekly contacts with the case manager, treatment programs and Probation Officer.

Community Transition Program (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.

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.

Residential Services

Residential Program

The Residential Program is a long awaited addition to the programming cache. Opening late Summer 2009, this program will allow offenders to receive treatment and programming services in a setting that is both therapeutic and correctional. The program is designed for those offenders who are of significant risk to reoffend and have needs cause struggles to fulfill the obligations of the courts sentence without the benefit of a structured service-oriented program.

Work Release

Work Release programs allow offenders to serve sentences in a correctional setting but maintain employment by being released to attend work. Work Release was housed in the Bartholomew County Jail until 2003 when it was suspended due to jail overcrowding. In 2009, Work Release will again be offered as a sentencing option through the Residential Center.

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.