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Community Court is designed for those who commit low-level crimes that impact the quality of life of our community, including crimes such as trespass or small shoplifts.
The court seeks to help participants avoid future involvement in the criminal justice system by providing connections to services that address their individual circumstance. Participants who successfully complete a plan that includes both community service (for accountability in the form of giving back to the community) and social service programs (to help break the cycle that led to crime in the first place) won’t face jail, fines or probation. Community Court is a “one-stop shop,” to reduce barriers to engaging with services. For most first-time offenders, the charges are dismissed upon graduation.
Community organizations and individuals have joined with the court to provide a Service Mall that is co-located with the court. The Service Mall is open to all Community Court participants and to anyone in the community who is in need. Participants don’t have to have a case pending in order to get easy access to multiple forms of assistance all in one place. Services include programs to help with self-sufficiency, such as getting signed up for food stamps or Social Security benefits, mental health and addiction counseling referrals, and help with resumes and getting into Job Corps and workforce training programs.
