Athens-Clarke County Courts Get Money To Help Fight Crime
August 27, 2007
Amelia Hines
WNEG NewsCHANNEL 32
Friday, August 24, 2007
Judge David Sweat has seen a lot of criminals during his five years on the bench in Clarke County. But he sees even more of repeat offenders. He says sometimes he gets 3 or 4 each week in his courtroom alone.
“These individuals are what we call in the justice system “frequent flyers.” They’re in and out. They’re coming back again and again,” Sweat tells NewsChannel 32.
These frequent flyers are also known to be criminals who have mental illnesses like schizophrenia or manic-depression. Others have drug addictions that lead them to commit offenses.
“It can be anything from criminal trespass which is being in some place after you’ve been barred.”
Others get caught passing forged checks for a little cash or petty theft.
In most cases, these offenders are just trying to get by the only way they know how.
“They may be homeless; there may be very few options. And the only option in the past we’ve had to offer them is jail time. And jail doesn’t address the problems that lead to their criminal behavior,” Judge Sweat says.
Sweat has been working 2 years to get a grant to stop this cycle. He says a $45,000 grant will help start a program to deal with these types of offenders. Part of that program is setting up a “Mental Health Court.”
After offenders are released from jails and hospitals, they aren’t left to fend for themselves like before. Through the “Treatment and Accountability” Court, they’ll have judicial supervision to help them transition back into the community.
That supervision will include weekly visits to keep updates on their status. The program will also help them seek treatment for problems and hold them accountable if they slip up.
But it doesn’t end there; other agencies throughout the community will be there to help them along the way.
If everything goes as planned, the “Treatment and Accountability” Court will be running by early 2008.
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