Cleveland Municipal Court Selected by U.S. Department of Justice to Receive Funding to Implement a Community Court
The Cleveland Municipal Court was one of ten applicants nationwide announced today by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, in partnership with the Center for Court Innovation, as a 2016 Community Court Grant Program winner.
Contact: Ed Ferenc, Public Information Officer
Cleveland Municipal Court
216 664 6787 / 216 789 2597
ference@cmcoh.org www.cmcoh.org
(Cleveland, Ohio) — The Cleveland Municipal Court was one of ten applicants nationwide announced today by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, in partnership with the Center for Court Innovation, as a 2016 Community Court Grant Program winner.
As a selected site, the Cleveland Community Court will receive $200,000, as well as technical assistance from the Center for Court Innovation to implement a community court that will serve the entire city of Cleveland, as well as the neighboring Village of Bratenahl. Community courts respond to quality-of-life crimes by ordering offenders to pay back the communities they’ve harmed through visible community service projects—for example, painting out graffiti, beautifying neighborhood parks, and cleaning up litter and debris from public streets. At the same time, community courts link offenders to services designed to help them address the underlying issues fueling their criminal behavior, such as drug and alcohol treatment, mental health services, job training, and public benefits. Nationally, research has shown that the community court model can reduce crime and substance use, increase services to victims, save money, and improve public confidence in justice.
The Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court, Hon. Ronald B. Adrine; the City of Cleveland Prosecutor’s Office; and the Cuyahoga County Public Defender Office all demonstrated their support for the Cleveland Community Court.
“With evidenced-based practices, appropriate interventions and close judicial monitoring, this docket will promote accountability and offer meaningful alternatives to incarceration. We look forward to the opportunity to partner with the Center for Court Innovation as we work together to make our communities safer places to live,” said Judge Adrine.
For more information on the Cleveland Community Court program, contact Ed Ferenc, Public Information Officer / Cleveland Municipal Court. Complete details on the program can be accessed at www.courtinnovation.org/topic/community-court.