When counting your blessings, count this one
Tim and I just returned from a 3rd District Community Relations Board Meeting. We know we live in the 2nd District, but our friend Dennis Althar called us to let us know that it was a Clerk of Courts Town Hall meeting and a lot of the municipal court judges would be there. They were all there sans one who had a legitimate excuse. The judge in question suffered a leg injury a week and a half ago and isn’t very mobile at the present time.
I have never had the opportunity to attend one of these meetings with the judges in attendance. It is an experience and I urge all of you to find one of these to attend. Don’t wait for the next one in your community. Explore a new community, new citizens, and the same judges who care about our city.
It was very heartening to hear the Honorable Lawrence A. Jones, the presiding and administrative judge tell us that he sees his court as proactive, one that takes a holistic view in managing the docket, using new methods for first time offenders so that they do not become career criminals but at the same time realizing that the community needs to be safe. He sees the community and the municipal court judges and their staff as being a partnership to make our city safe and livable. After all, most of the issues that the majority of the community faces is quaiity of life issues that need to be addressed. He strives to have Cleveland’s Municipal Court be a leader in judicial matters for the nation.
Each judge spoke about one of the court programs in which they have an integral part–drug court, housing court, Get on Track, expungement program, Small Claims division, technological advancement, mental health court, domestic violence, and more I have missed. It was a great way to see the passion that these men and women bring to their elected positions.
During the question and answer period, I commended the judges for their proactive stance in regards to sentencing first time offenders to intervention programs. It is truly sad that our judicial system is forced to take on the role of a social agency because so many dollars have been diverted from mental health programs, treatment centers, and educational and employment programs. But this group is willing to take it on use one of the new programs when warranted, but also shift gears and continue to sentence those offenders that don’t deserve these kinds of chances. One of the judges was quick to point out that people were sentenced to jail time, restitution, and straight probation as well as being referred to these programs. Anyway, back to my question. How do you track the people you put in these intervention programs and how do you measure whether the programs are successful? All of the judges wanted to speak to the question and I got a lot of thoughtful answers from the judges, but Judge Jones told me what I wanted to hear. The programs are continually evaluated by a set of metrics that are then used to chart what works and what doesn’t. The court then fine tunes the programs to better meet the criteria and needs of the offenders. One of the judges pointed out that there is always the possiblity that someone can be thrown out of a program, be put back into the system, and do time.
I truly got a sense that these judges get it. It could be because several of them served on City Council before becoming judges so that they have a holistic view of what is needed. Or, it could be because several of them were public defenders and social workers so that they are aware of the issues that the community deals with because of these quality of life crimes. The reasons don’t matter. They get it. That matters.
I left the meeting with great hope, and I always believe that to be a sign of a successful community meeting. Remember, we have a presiding judge who wants his court to be a leader in the nation. The man knows that he has a talented, capable group of judges that can make his dream a reality. We need to support Judge Jones and his crew so that he achieves his mission. Don’t forget when counting your blessings, count this one.