Juvenile Court Forms

Department of Probation and Youth Services
Bill County, Director

Introduction

The Department of Probation and Youth Services operates nine programs that implement Court orders and dispositional case plans.

This department provides supervision to court-involved juveniles remaining in the community. The diverse needs of the juveniles and families have resulted in several different programs, designed to address these specific needs.

Community Control

Juveniles placed on General Community Control have been assessed as not needing significant and intensive Court services. However, they are required to complete a Court ordered case plan.

Juveniles placed on General Community Control are assigned a community control officer (CCO). The officer monitors the juvenile's compliance of court orders and case plan through contact with the juvenile, school officials, parents and other people significant in the juvenile's life.

The juvenile and family will be responsible to complete case plan components and follow all rules of community control. The Officer is responsible to make reports to the Court regarding the youth's progression. Rewards and sanctions are administered through continual oversight of the juvenile's progress.

There are five CCOs for Lorain County. In addition to supervising the youth placed on probation, assist families in accessing community services, provide security for the Court operations, and assist in collecting information for the Investigation and Referral Team.

The Court can place an adjudicated youth on Monitored Time. While on Monitored Time, the youth will not get direct services from a CCO, but will be required to report to the Community Control department on a predetermined basis. Two Inside CCOs are responsible for this caseload. They will make follow up phone contacts with the youth, parents, and others and report to the Court the progression of the youth. These CCOs also track continued cases and do initial interviews of youths and families referred for additional Court services.

Additional responsibilities of the CCO include tracking continued cases, notifying all parties of hearings, providing security services for the Court, participating in meetings with outside agencies, and assisting families in accessing community services. General Community Control Officers would also provide supervision for those adults placed on supervision for Contributing to the Unruliness or Delinquency of a Minor.

In-Home Detention

The In-Home Detention Program provides a service that offers an alternative to detaining a youth in the Detention Home. Youth designated for placement in the program are, generally, less serious offenders that do not appear to represent a danger to themselves or to the community. To ensure compliance, all youth accepted into the program are required to sign a contract. Parents, or guardians, are also required to pledge to ensure compliance or report any non- compliance.

Referrals to the program of higher risk youth often stipulate the use of electronic monitoring equipment. The program staff supervises this equipment and the reports that are generated. Use of this equipment permits 24 hour monitoring of a youth's adherence to "home detention". Staff may adjust the monitoring to allow for a youth to attend other activities, if appropriate.

Court personnel monitor the adjustment of the youth while they are in the program. Random home visits and phone calls are conducted. Staff will also visit schools and work sites to ensure compliance with the rules of the program and the signed contract. Violation of the rules could result in the child being remanded to detention in the secure facility until a final Court hearing.

Community Intervention Program

The Community Intervention Program (CIP) provides intensive supervision and services to juveniles placed into the program by a Judge or Magistrate as a disposition when adjudicated delinquent for a criminal offense. Juveniles in the program are supervised daily through electronic monitoring, in home meetings, and random site visits at school and work places.

Juveniles placed in the program have a prescribed case plan based on identified needs and problems. The program participant is expected to participate in groups for anger management, character development, and employment skills. Parenting skills programs are also available and are sometimes mandated. The above programs are provided through partnerships with various community agencies and service providers. Youth ordered into CIP are required to participate in community service and recreational activities to assist in building appropriate social skills. When indicated, program participants will be referred to community providers for mental health and substance abuse issues.

Specialized Services - Sex Offender Program

Juveniles adjudicated delinquent for a sexual offense are referred for a sex offender risk assessment. The assessment determines appropriate recommendations, with options including community treatment, out-of-home placement, or commitment to the Ohio Department of Youth Services. For juveniles who remain in the community, the Community Control Officer (CCO) will design safety plans to provide adequate supervision of the offender and protection for the victim and the community. The CCOs supervise juveniles by monitoring their participation in sex offender specific treatment, and monitor the juveniles' behavior and actions at home, school and in the community, and supervise compliance with dispositional orders of the Court. The CCOs receive specific training to assist in identifying behaviors that can lead to further offending.

Offenders participate in individual and / or group therapy with local agency treatment providers. The CCO maintain frequent contact with the treatment providers to share information, observations, and interventions. Programming lasts between 18 and 24 months. Failure to complete all requirements of the program will result in further Court action probably requiring out of home placement.

Based on age and type of offense the Court may classify an offender as a Sexually Oriented Offender Registrant (JSORN).

Mentally Ill - MR/DD Caseload

Juveniles who are lower functioning and / or have a significant mental health diagnosis are placed on this specialized caseload. These juveniles usually already have an Individual Educational Plan (IEP), psychiatric and psychological treatment services, and/or in-home counseling in place prior to Court involvement. They will often need additional assessments, hospitalizations, and other intensive services due to their delinquent actions.

The Community Control Officer (CCO) provides close supervision and facilitates communication between community service providers, the family, and the Court. This facilitation is vital in identifying and overcoming barriers, recognizing progress, and resolving problems of the child and family. Social Workers in the community, providing case management services, work closely with the CCO that is providing intensive supervision.

Bellfaire / JOP

The Juvenile Offender Project (JOP) is a collaborative effort between the Court, Integrated Services Partnership of Lorain County, the Board of Mental Health, and Bellefaire Jewish Children's Bureau. This partnership provides an extensive assessment and psychological evaluation for juveniles currently involved with the Court, primarily for offenses of violence that have exhibited significant mental health issues. Bellefaire's evaluation is comprised of multiple testing tools, an assessment of the family, and charts and reports from previous service providers and school systems. Community Resources are recommended and services put in place to assist the juvenile and family. Bellefaire also provides a JOP / residential bed when the need for inpatient treatment is indicated.

A Court employee is designated to monitor and assist in the components of the case plans. The Court staff monitors and documents all contacts with the juvenile and family, attends staff meetings, makes home visits, participates in JOP /4-C Cluster reviews, and provides transportation services. The MI / MRDD Community Control Officer works closely with the JOP participants.

Success For Youth

Success for Youth was funded through a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Lorain County and the Byrne Memorial Fund, a federal grant administered by the Office of Criminal Justice Services, and is served by resources from the Work Investment Act, to provide skill development for lower functioning, delinquent youth. Programming offers an opportunity to learn social skills, computer training, and job skills to assist juveniles in obtaining employment and eventual independence. Success for Youth focuses on males and females from Elyria and Lorain, aged 15 - 17, who are experiencing difficulties due to their low level of intellectual functioning.

Catholic Charities collaborates with the Court to provide case management, social skills development, assistance with career development, computer skills and realistic job skills training that is designed to meet educational and employment needs, as well as personal development.

Juvenile Drug Court

The Lorain County Juvenile Drug Court program provides a therapeutic and strengths based approach in assisting juveniles who have been adjudicated delinquent and have a significant drug and alcohol and/or substance abuse history linked to their offenses. The program is funded by a grant through the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.

The Honorable Judge Debra L. Boros presides over the Juvenile Drug Court. The team consists of the Program Manager, Community Control Officer/Case Manager, and a Community Resource Manager.

The Juvenile Drug Court team meets weekly to discuss each participant.

Upon placement into the program, each participant is given a strengths-based assessment. This allows the Drug Court team to identify the juvenile's strengths and capitalize on them. The Drug Court team strives to establish a sober support network for each participant. A creative sanctions and rewards system is used to address both positive and negative behavior throughout the program.

There are four stages to the program. Success at all stages results in graduation and dismissal of the charges. Each participant initially attends Court weekly, however this is decreased through program advancement. Positive drug screens will return the participant to the previous level. The community resources manager involves the participants in support activities and community service. At graduation, participants are employed and/or in an educational program and completely drug free. In the event that the participants do not comply with program requirements, the matter is set for disposition and the juvenile is terminated from the program.

Family Drug Court

Family Drug Court is funded through a grant from the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS). Family Drug Court assists clients of Lorain County Children Services (LCCS) who are drug/alcohol dependent and their children have either been adjudicated abused, neglected or dependent, or the clients are involved with LCCS on unofficial / In-Home cases. Participation in Family Drug Court is voluntary, but upon agreeing to participate, a Court order or agreement through a Contract of Participation, compliance is expected with all program components. The ultimate goals are for participants to retain or regain custody of their children, working towards completion of the case plan components, and maintaining sobriety. Failure of compliance can result in LCCS seeking permanent family / relative placement, temporary custody, permanent custody, foster care or adoption.

The Honorable Judge Debra L. Boros and Magistrate James Gemelas preside over the Family Drug Court. The team consists of the Program Coordinator, Treatment Counselor from Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Elyria YWCA, Faith House, the Nord Center, and Lorain County Children Services. Collaboration between agencies provides In-Kind services addressing drug/alcohol dependency, parenting skills, domestic violence awareness, life skills preparation, employment assistance and assistance in obtaining housing. Participants are also referred to mental health agencies for individual counseling, parenting skills and domestic violence sessions.

Juvenile Intake Department

The Juvenile Intake Department, located at the Boys' Detention Home, performs several functions for the Court. This unit handles the following:

• Unofficial complaints
• First offense shoplifting cases
• Tobacco violations
• Arraignments on official status and domestic violence charges
• Unofficial hearings for intervention and diversion purposes
• The Intake magistrates are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to law enforcement's requests for admissions to the boys and girls' detention homes.

The Adolescent Domestic Violence/Anger Management Program is collaboration between Catholic Charities and the Court to provide an alternative to post-adjudication detention. When children involved in domestic violence are admitted to the DH or Turning Point, a social worker will screen, assess, and then provide group sessions to juveniles and families.

The Lorain County Juvenile Intake Department's responsibilities include oversight of Diversion Services programming and supervision of juveniles placed on community control for status offenses, an act that would not be illegal if committed by an adult. Community control officers contacted the families, identified issues, and made referrals to appropriate community services. These youth were provided supervision and an opportunity for additional Court services.

Supplemental Programs

Yes Program

The Youth Education Shoplifting Program (YES Program) is an educational, rehabilitative program offered to juveniles referred to Court for first time petty theft/shoplifting offenses. Participants are ordered into the program from both official and unofficial cases heard by the intake magistrates.

Eduvention/Substance Abuse Education Program

The Court's Eduvention Program is designed to provide drug and alcohol education and information to juveniles, and parents, referred to the Court for misdemeanor alcohol or drug offenses. Juveniles and their parent/guardian can attend the four sessions of the program in lieu of a delinquency charge being filed. Eligible participants are typically, but not exclusively, first time offenders.

A community provider, at no cost to the participants, presents Eduvention off-site from Court operations. A screening instrument is administered to participants to determine the need for further assistance or treatment.

Rewards Program

Rewards' purpose is to improve juveniles' self-esteem and confidence through a strengths-based approach. Juveniles are rewarded when excellent outcomes are exhibited.

The Rewards Program committee consists of Court employees from various departments. The committee, operating outside of the direct authority of the Court, organizes fundraising efforts and processes requests for individual rewards, evaluating each request for eligibility and consistency.