Community Service Project Back On Track In County
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
After a one-year absence, the community service program for juvenile or underage offenders is back on track.
The program, under the direction of Kosciusko Superior Court II Judge James Jarrette, allows non-violent offenders age 18 to 25 to avoid jail time.
"We order them to go to jail. If they agree to community service, upon completion of community service, we suspend their jail sentence," said Jarrette.
Non-violent offenders include those charged with disorderly conduct, illegal consumption or possession of alcohol, or criminal mischief and related crimes. The program lasts from late spring to early fall. Offenders must usually serve from two to 10 days of community service.
"We usually try to do it on Saturdays. The kids report to the sheriff's department at 8 a.m. Sometimes they're done at noon but often it's two or three," Jarrette said.
"We've tried to make ourselves available to smaller towns who don't have the manpower," Jarrette said. "We try to look for projects that otherwise would not be done because of lack of manpower or equipment."
The program began eight to 10 years ago with Gene Brumfield as the program's director. He was bailiff at the time. He ran the program for five or six years before retiring. After a year passed, Missy Donovan, who later became a probation officer, took over where Brumfield left off. The program was held off for a year until Penni Nelson, a Superior Court III bailiff who is also community service officer, took over the project.
Offenders in the community service program have worked on a multitude of tasks.
In North Webster, they did restoration work at a cemetery at Shock Lake. Gravestones, the latest dated 1910, are now visible. People can actually walk from grave to grave without walking through brush and high weeds.
"They did a marvelous job," said Tippecanoe Township Trustee Dick Mitchell.
Offenders first cleaned the cemetery two years ago. They began recleaning the cemetery July 10 and finished the job July 24.
"There's no way we could have gotten it done (without them)," Mitchell said.
An Indian burial ground near CR 500N also was cleaned up by the program participants.
In Jackson Township, offenders also cleaned a cemetery, said trustee Donald Slater. Brush was loaded onto a Kosciusko County highway truck, which carried it away.
"The service they do is very good," said Slater. "It's something we wouldn't have in our funds or budget to do."
He said their work saves taxpayers money and it makes the cemetery look nice.
If anyone in the county has community service ideas for those in the program to do, Jarrette said, they can contact Nelson. [[In-content Ad]]
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After a one-year absence, the community service program for juvenile or underage offenders is back on track.
The program, under the direction of Kosciusko Superior Court II Judge James Jarrette, allows non-violent offenders age 18 to 25 to avoid jail time.
"We order them to go to jail. If they agree to community service, upon completion of community service, we suspend their jail sentence," said Jarrette.
Non-violent offenders include those charged with disorderly conduct, illegal consumption or possession of alcohol, or criminal mischief and related crimes. The program lasts from late spring to early fall. Offenders must usually serve from two to 10 days of community service.
"We usually try to do it on Saturdays. The kids report to the sheriff's department at 8 a.m. Sometimes they're done at noon but often it's two or three," Jarrette said.
"We've tried to make ourselves available to smaller towns who don't have the manpower," Jarrette said. "We try to look for projects that otherwise would not be done because of lack of manpower or equipment."
The program began eight to 10 years ago with Gene Brumfield as the program's director. He was bailiff at the time. He ran the program for five or six years before retiring. After a year passed, Missy Donovan, who later became a probation officer, took over where Brumfield left off. The program was held off for a year until Penni Nelson, a Superior Court III bailiff who is also community service officer, took over the project.
Offenders in the community service program have worked on a multitude of tasks.
In North Webster, they did restoration work at a cemetery at Shock Lake. Gravestones, the latest dated 1910, are now visible. People can actually walk from grave to grave without walking through brush and high weeds.
"They did a marvelous job," said Tippecanoe Township Trustee Dick Mitchell.
Offenders first cleaned the cemetery two years ago. They began recleaning the cemetery July 10 and finished the job July 24.
"There's no way we could have gotten it done (without them)," Mitchell said.
An Indian burial ground near CR 500N also was cleaned up by the program participants.
In Jackson Township, offenders also cleaned a cemetery, said trustee Donald Slater. Brush was loaded onto a Kosciusko County highway truck, which carried it away.
"The service they do is very good," said Slater. "It's something we wouldn't have in our funds or budget to do."
He said their work saves taxpayers money and it makes the cemetery look nice.
If anyone in the county has community service ideas for those in the program to do, Jarrette said, they can contact Nelson. [[In-content Ad]]