Court Programs
Intake
Purpose/Intervention: Identify the intervention(s) needed to address present law violation; refer to community/court programming as needed; minimal court supervision, and monitor progress. A written contract, consent agreement, to include specific services and criteria for juvenile to successfully complete are components of the intake process.
Provider: Juvenile Court Officer
Intake (low risk)
Purpose/Intervention: Identify the intervention(s) needed to address present law violation; refer to community/court programming as needed; minimal court supervision, and monitor progress. A written contract, consent agreement, to include specific services and criteria for juvenile to successfully complete are components of the intake process. Low Risk Cases are kept on the informal docket JCOs caseload and not seen in the community and provided minimal intervention.
Ineligible Cases: Law violations for registerable sex offenses, felony level child sexually abusive material offenses, school threat offenses, and any offense involving the use of a firearm and/or resulting in great bodily harm to the victim are ineligible to be placed on the Low-Risk Caseload without judicial/supervisory approval to override.
Choice
Purpose/Intervention: Community-based individual and family counseling focused on diverting and preventing increased court involvement. Evidenced based and best practice models of therapeutic intervention are utilized with at risk youth and their families.
Provider: Treatment Specialists (Licensed therapists)
YLS Risk Level: Low to Very High
Family Support Program (FSP)
To provide support and services to the youth and their parent to prevent out of home placement. Therapeutic services, evidence-based practices, and intensive case management are fundamental aspects of this program designed to promote a healthy family where the youth and parent/s can flourish.
Provider: Juvenile Court Officer, Treatment Specialist, and Parent/family advocate, Cole Williams
YLS Risk Level: Moderate to High
Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP)
The Saturday Enrichment Program is an alternative to secure detention program providing youth with additional learning opportunities and experiences. The program offers a variety of activities, restorative community service events, cognitive restructuring groups, and homework sessions.
Provider: Group Leaders
YLS Risk Level: Moderate to High
Moderate Risk Community Probation
Moderate Risk Probation is a community-based probation caseload designed to provide targeted supervision, support, and interventions to youth who are assessed as moderate risk to reoffend. These youth have exhibited delinquent behavior, but with appropriate interventions, they demonstrate the potential for rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. The probation caseload focuses on addressing the underlying causes of delinquent behavior, fostering positive youth development, and reducing recidivism through a combination of individualized case management, skill building, family engagement, and community-based services.
Provider: Juvenile Court Officer
High Risk Intensive Community Probation
High-Risk Intensive Probation is a community-based probation caseload designed to provide targeted supervision, support, and interventions to youth who are assessed as high risk to reoffend. These youth have exhibited a stronger likelihood of reoffending or experiencing further involvement with the criminal justice system. These youth may have a history of violent or serious offenses, substance abuse, truancy, significant peer relation issues, but with appropriate interventions, they can be rehabilitated and be productive members of their community. The probation caseload focuses on addressing the underlying causes of delinquent behavior, fostering positive youth development, and reducing recidivism through a combination of individualized case management, skill building, family engagement, community-based services, and public safety.
Restorative Community Service
The Restorative Community Service Program is an approach that strives to change delinquent thinking and behavior, reducing the risk to reoffend. Success of such an approach relies on a solid partnership formed between the youth and an appropriate adult in the context of opportunities for volunteering.
The fundamental premise of restorative practices is the youth are more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes when those in authority do things with them, rather than to them or for them. The teen/adult volunteer relationship is preferred compared to a teen working in isolation or with other delinquents, as this minimizes the value of community service to the youth.
Provider: Group Leaders
Surveillance
The Surveillance Program is a community-based alternative to secure detention utilizing tether or home contract. Tether and Home Contract allow the youth to remain in his/her home under strict terms and conditions in lieu of being placed in, or remaining in, the juvenile detention center. Home Contract and Tether are tools used to provide more intensive monitoring of youth as well as an alternative sanction. Youth are placed on Tether and Home Contract by court order. Supervision of the youth is a team effort—including the juvenile court officer (JCO), surveillance staff and parents.
Provider: Juvenile Court Officer and Group Leader
YLS Risk Level: Moderate to High
Start Program
Purpose/Intervention: The Start program utilizes an evidenced-based treatment model aimed at identifying and reducing the risk of sexual offending behavior. The Start program offers a continuum of services for youth who have been adjudicated of a sexual offense. Treatment provided includes: psychoeducational counseling, group therapy and family therapy. Prior to participation in the program youth are required to have an Adolescent Sexual Offender Risk Assessment to determine the appropriate level of treatment services. The program team includes juvenile court officers (JCO) and treatment specialists.
Provider: Juvenile Court Officer and Treatment Specialist
Juvenile Justice Institute Day Treatment Program
Program Purpose: To provide community-based behavioral, therapeutic, and educational services to court- adjudicated youth in need of intensive community-based programming and services.
RISE Treatment Program
A secure residential treatment program located inside of the Ottawa County Juvenile Detention Center. The program offers a unique opportunity to personalize treatment to each resident’s needs, while utilizing evidenced-based treatment modalities in group, family, and individual settings.
The program emphasizes a person-centered planning approach to help improve outcomes for successful reintegration back into the community.