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Courts to use reminder calls for trial dates
CLINTON, Feb 26, 2010 (Clinton Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Volunteers will staff a new Clinton County District Court program geared to reduce missed court appearances through phone calls and possible letters to defendants reminding them of court dates.
The members of the Clinton County Justice Coordinating Commission approved the start of the program through a vote Thursday during a regular meeting of the commission.
Clinton County Attorney Mike Wolf introduced the measure, saying it will help reduce failure to appear charges, arrest warrants issued for defendants who fail to show up for a court date and jail population problems.
Senior citizen volunteers from the local RSVP program would make calls and possibly send letters through Wolf's office twice a week.
The logistics of obtaining contact information from defendants and the procedures of the program still need to be worked out, according to an employee of the court clerk's office. Wolf said some paperwork also still needs to be filled out, but he said he'd rather work out details as the program is introduced so the volunteers will learn as they go along.
"It's best sometimes to let volunteers set the tone and pace of the program," said Wolf. "Because they're the ones who are going to be doing it."
Wolf said the court already uses volunteer assistance with a vacant court attendant position.
In other action Thursday, an official with the Clinton County Jail announced that jail staff will begin making a complete jail roster of inmate names and charges available on a regular basis to court staff and prosecutors starting Monday, and will keep an updated list posted in the jail.
Jail Administrator Craig Eberhart said the roster will be an important step in eliminating some communication delays between jail staff and prosecutors.
"I think a lot of times we have a breakdown in communication," said Eberhart.
The justice coordinating commission also discussed on Thursday the possibility of seeking a future grant for collaborative justice and mental health programming.
CCJCC Coordinator Brian K. McKenrick said the grant would allow the justice system to better assist individuals who have become entangled in the jail and courts system through offenses committed as a result of mental health issues.
Community Care Inc. in Charlotte, a mental health organization that had served about 600 individuals every year, closed its residential care facility last year. From 1988 until its closure, the facility served Clinton, Scott, Jackson, Marion, Jones and Chickasaw counties in Iowa.
Eberhart said jail staff has seen about five former residents of the facility arrested on serious charges, and he expressed the concern that the individuals would be unable to break free of the criminal justice system because of the backlog and waiting list for mental health services in the county.
Since the deadline for this year's mental health grant is in April, McKenrick said the commission could try to apply for it next year.
The 13-member CCJCC commission was formed in April 2009 with the goal of finding ways to expedite cases through the local criminal justice system and, in turn, possibly relieve jail overcrowding.
The commission's subcommittees work on jail facility and planning, mental health and substance abuse programs, court issues, and alternative sanctions.
To see more of Clinton Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.clintonherald.com/. Copyright (c) 2010, Clinton Herald, Iowa
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