Department of Support Services
Marilyn Parker-Jeffries, Director

Introduction

This department provides services and support to the community and court staff. The department is comprised of the following: The Pay-Back Program, Voices for Children, Assignment Commissioners, and Juvenile Clerks.

The Pay-Back Program

Restitution is an essential component in the rehabilitation process. It is also the means whereby victims find recourse through the justice system. Through this program, the offenders are held accountable for their financial obligations to victims.

The Pay-Back Program has four objectives:

• Ensure the offender's compliance with Court orders
• Provide a work experience that allows the offender to make restitution
• Provide victims with access to the Court for reasonable redress
• Facilitate communication between the Court and all involved parties: victims, prosecutors, insurance companies, etc.

The process is initiated by a Court order for restitution. The program contacts the victims and they are required to supply the Court documentation for their loss. Once the restitution amount is determined, the juvenile is given two payment options:

1. Execution of a monitored, monthly payment schedule
2. Placement in a court developed jobsite At the job site, juveniles are credited with minimum wage compensation and payment to the victim is made through the Lorain County Treasurer's Office. The program partners with numerous jobsites throughout the county. The jobsites provide a work experience for the offenders and on site supervisors evaluate the offender's work performance.

MERIT

The Merit Program was developed to hold youth accountable for their court orders. The goal of the program is to track and address the compliance of offenders in the following programs and communicate this information to the appropriate parties for the purpose of determining if the programs are being effectively utilized. Additionally, the goal of the program for the community service component is to hold youth accountable for the court orders for community service by placing, monitoring and tracking these offenders for the purpose of insuring compliance.

Psycho-Educational Groups:

Psycho-Educational groups are interventions intended to reduce the risk factors associated with criminal behavior. The court uses evidence based programming to address criminogenic factors. Evidence based programs are those whose outcomes have been researched and found to be effective. Training is provided to staff to assist in the facilitation and presentation of these groups.

Strengthening Families 10-13 and 14-17

The Strengthening Families Program is a joint effort between Catholic Charities, LCCADA, and the Lorain County Domestic Relations Court. Catholic Charities also provides a spanish-speaking group. The program’s goals are to prepare youth for their teen years, avoid problems with drugs and alcohol, and strengthen family communication. Parents discuss what youth in the age range of their group are like, making rules and enforcing consequences, how to solve problems with youth, and ways to show love and support. The youth learn how to handle frustration, resist peer pressure, appreciate parent/caregivers, and how to get along with others.

Thinking For A Change

Thinking for a Change is a cognitive behavioral program that addresses problem solving, social skills, and cognitive self-change. The program utilizes role-plays, as well as other appropriate interventions. The goal is to change behavior as a result of changing thoughts.

Girls Circle

The Pathways to the Future curriculum is a skill building support circle for use with at-risk or court-involved girls. It examines thoughts, beliefs, and actions about friendship, trust, authority figures, mother/daughter relationships, sexuality, dating violence, HIV, drug abuse, stress and goal setting. It encourages girls to explore their choices and decision making through lively, prepared discussions and activities.

Anger Management:

The Court’s Education and Program Coordinator oversees two anger management programs. The programs provide basic and intermediate psycho-educational groups to aid juveniles and their parents in addressing anger issues. Anger Control Training, facilitated by Psychiatric and Psychological Services is a basic nine-week program, while Aggression Replacement Training, facilitated by court staff, is a more intensive ten week twenty sessions program

Voices for Children

 

Lorain County CASA/GAL Program

Voices for Children (VFC) is affiliated with the nationally recognized Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Voices for Children's purpose is to provide guardian ad litems (GALs) to the Court to advocate on behalf of the abused, neglected, and dependent children coming before it.

The GAL volunteer undertakes an investigation into the circumstances and family life of the child. They review records, interview parents, relatives and foster parents, talk to teachers, neighbors and most importantly, the child. Upon completion of the investigation, the GAL appears in court, provides the information and make a recommendation to the Court as to what course of action is in the best interest of the child.

GAL volunteers complete 30 hours of pre-service training, which includes four classroom sessions (28 hrs) and courtroom observations (2hrs). All GALs are screened, interviewed and a criminal background check through the Web-Check System is completed. The Judges administer an oath and the volunteers are then recognized as Officers of the Court. In addition, there is a continuing 12 hours of education required annually.

The success of the Voices for Children Program is due to the commitment of the volunteers, support staff, private citizens, community organizations, the business community and the Voices for Children Board. The Board assists the program in fund raising, marketing and public awareness activities.

Volunteers

The volunteers represented a wide diversity, similar to the population of Lorain County.

• 146 active volunteers providing 3,609 hours of service
• Ages - 21 to 60+
• 108 females and 38 males
• Education spans high school graduate to post college graduate
• Diverse racial mix - Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American
• Employments status - not employed, part time, full time, retired
• Volunteer average - 1 case/ 2 children