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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA Marion County problem-solving court designed to work with people re-entering society from prison will shut down after Sept. 11 due to funding problems.
Another court under the problem-solving umbrella that helps people in drug treatment also could end after its latest cohort completes the program, according to Samira Haddad, an attorney overseeing the programs.
The courts are two of four within Marion County’s Problem-Solving program, which also includes mental health and veterans’ courts. The latter two are fully funded through 2027, according to Haddad.
Haddad said she was notified about the funding issues in June. News of the closure came about two weeks ago.
“I was devastated,” Haddad said. “I’m still devastated. I’ve worked in these courts just over four years. … They help reduce recidivism, they’re cost-effective for our counties. … Most importantly, they’re helping people that deserve it, that need it. Really nice, wonderful people. My clients are the most amazing people I know and I’m devastated for them.”
She said a loss of grant funding hurt the programs.
The state Department of Correction provides grants to help fund these programs, a spokeswoman said. She added that Indiana’s General Assembly reduced the amount of funding for those grants during its recent session.
Problem-solving courts attempt to help people avoid incarceration or a return to prison by dealing with underlying causes behind their behavior. They typically involve a team that includes judges, caseworkers, prosecutors and treatment providers, according to the Indiana’s problem-solving court rules.
“(On the) drug court side, if they finish, typically, they get a dismissal of their cases,” Haddad explained. “(On the) re-entry court side, if they finish successfully, they typically get time off their parole.”
These courts operate under the Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Court Services, which certifies that each court complies with the organization’s set of operating rules. These rules include who can be appointed to serve in a problem-solving court and how potential participants are assessed in order to be accepted into a program.
Indiana had nearly 160 problem-solving courts operating in 61 of its 92 counties as of late last year.
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