fulton county juvenile court · 2016. 2. 10. · services • family drug court • guardian ad...

Fulton County Juvenile Court FEBRUARY, 2016

Mission Statement THE MISSION OF FULTON COUNTY JUVENILE

COURT IS: FIRST, TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND

THE COMMUNITY IN MATTERS BROUGHT BEFORE

THE COURT, TO REHABILITATE CHILDREN, AND

TO RESTORE FAMILIES; AND SECOND, TO

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY,

PARTNERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS TO ACTIVELY

ENGAGE IN THIS MISSION.

Fulton County Juvenile Court

State & Local Law

• FCJC is organized under Title 15, Chapter 11 of

the Official Code of Georgia Annotated

(O.C.G.A. § 15-11).

• FCJC also follows all local statues and

directives issues by the Fulton County Board of

Commissioners.


Services

• Appointment of Guardians

• Citizens Panel Review

• Court Appointed Special

Advocates (CASA)

• Children in Need of

Services (CHINS)

Proceedings

• Delinquency Proceedings

• Drug Testing

• Educational Advocacy

Services

• Family Drug Court

• Guardian ad Litems

• Indigent Defense Services

• Juvenile Counseling

• Mediation Services

• Medical Care for Juveniles

in Custody

• Mental Health Services

• Probation

In keeping with its mission and mandates from Fulton

County and the State of Georgia, FCJC provides the

following services:

The budget funds the court’s operations

and the delivery of services to juveniles,

with the remainder funding the salaries

and benefits of employees.

FCJC’s budget for the 2015 fiscal year

(Jan. – Dec.) Is $13,701,577.

FY 2016 budget is $13,414,109

FCJC: Annual Budget

FCJC Budget: Perspective

Juvenile Court’s 2016 fiscal year budget is

$13,414,109. For comparison, total General

Fund expenditures are budgeted at

$669,239,555, which includes a total of

$204,635,445 for Justice System departments.

Juvenile Court represents 2.004 of General

Fund appropriations and 6.55 percent of

Justice System Appropriations.

FCJC Budget: Perspective County Justice System Departments comprise 31

percent ($204,635,445) of the total General Fund

($669,239,555).

FCJC Budget: Perspective Juvenile Court comprises 6.55 percent ($13,414,109)

of the total ($204,635,445) for Justice System depts.


Organizational Structure

• FCJC has three primary organizational

divisions that cover different functions and

responsibilities at court:

– The Administrative Office

• The Clerk of Court’s Office

– The Judicial Division

– The Probation Services Division


Judiciary

Chief Judge Bradley J. Boyd leads the FCJC

judiciary and directs the operations of Juvenile

Court.

Seven Juvenile Court Judges

Presiding Judges

Bradley J. Boyd

Juliette W. Scales

Willie J. Lovett, Jr.

Associate Judges

George G. Blau

Phillip Jackson

Wenona C. Belton

Renata D. Turner


Judiciary

• Existence of probable cause

• Necessity for detention

• Adjudication & disposition

• Deprivation Status

• Traffic Offenses

• Grant legitimation

• Guardianships

• Sealing records

• Permission to marry

• Permission to join the military

• Parental notification of a minor’s intention to seek an abortion

• Judicial review of children in foster care

• Adoption proceedings

• Termination of parent rights

The judiciary conducts all hearings which are mandated by law to determine:


Judicial Division

The Judicial Division

• Conducts all hearings which are mandated by law

• Drafts and issues orders for all hearings before the

Court, conducts legal research in matters brought

before the Court and completes correspondences on

behalf of the Court.

• Acts as representatives of Juvenile Court in the

community & official meetings

• Administers and sets court-wide goals.


Administrative Office

• Administration ensures the timely, proper and efficient

management of the budget, personnel administration,

procurement, fiscal management of grants, facility

management and planning, I.T. services,

intergovernmental and community relations and staff

development.

• Administration oversees:

– Accounting and Finance

– Accountability Courts

– Clerk of Court’s Office

– Human Resources

– Probation Services


Clerk of Court’s Office

• The Clerk of Court’s Office has the following

duties:

– Record all proceedings of the court, issue and sign

summons and subpoenas and maintain all records

within the court system

– Receive and safely maintain all evidence

– Prepare and transmit copies of court records to

proper appellate courts upon notification

– Certify court documents or records when

transmitted to other courts


Clerk of Court’s Office

• The Clerk of Court’s Office also maintains and

oversees multiple divisions to provide a more

effective and efficient organizational flow. The

divisions of the Clerk of Court’s Office are:

– Complaints Office & Intake Attorney

– Citizen Review Panel

– Intake Unit

– Record Room


Probation Services Division

The purpose of Juvenile Justice Probation is to provide treatment, rehabilitation and supervision to children.

Adult Probation vs. Juvenile Probation

Juvenile Probation attempts to maintain community safety by rehabilitating and deterring children from further delinquent behavior, whereas Adult Probation focuses more-so on punitive measures to sustain community safety.


Probation Services Programs

• The Mediation Program – Diverts cases from the regular court process

– Allows parties to meet in a private setting with a neutral mediator to find a mutually acceptable resolution

– Fosters an environment where the child is held directly accountable for their actions.

• The Mental Health Clinic – Provides crises counseling to families

– Serves as case plan managers for qualifying children

– Performs mental health screenings/assessments, psychosexual evaluations, individual and family therapy services


Accountability Courts

Accountability Courts are highly structured non-

adversarial accountability and intervention

programs aimed at addressing and resolving the

underlying issues precipitating substance abuse

and court involvement.

FCJC Hosts:

• HOPE: Family Dependency Treatment Court

• CHOICES: Juvenile Drug Court

• PARTNERS: Behavioral Health Court


Saturday & Evening Programs

FCJC works to offer additional programs to aid court-

involved children and families:

• The Learning Club: Provides academic coaching,

mentoring, cultural engagement and service

learning to court-involved juveniles and utilizes

volunteers from the Atlanta University Center.

• TLC Parent Initiative: Parents meet at FCJC to

provide mutual support and to collectively meet

with juvenile probation officers to provide feedback

and voice their concerns.


Saturday & Evening Programs FCJC works to offer additional programs to aid court-involved children and families:

• Sister to Sister: Provides mentoring to assist teenage girls with self-esteem, personal responsibility, support and exposure to career paths. It is a collaboration with GABWA.

• S.M.A.R.T. Moves Chess & Mentoring Club: An acronym for science, math, arts, reading and technology, brings together a unique group of sheriff’s deputies, probation officers, attorneys, college students and parents to provide homework help and tutoring for teens. Program participants are taught to apply the focus, strategy and decision making skills they use on the chessboard to the problems and challenges they face in their everyday lives.

fulton county juvenile court · 2016. 2. 10. · services • family drug court • guardian ad...

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