Juvenile Justice Community Service Program Launched in Dearborn & Ohio Counties

The program is designed to hold juveniles accountable for their actions without having to place them in detention.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Mayor Kelly Mollaun of the City of Lawrenceburg is announcing his new Juvenile Justice Community Service initiative to assist the children of Dearborn and Ohio County and to help keep the county cleaner and safer. The program is designed to hold juveniles accountable for their actions without having to place them in detention.

Seventh Circuit Court Judge Aaron Negangard stated, “After I started as judge, I met with Mayor Mollaun, who graciously offered to assist in dealing with some of the issues plaguing southeastern Indiana. We were also joined by the Lawrenceburg Police Chief, David Schneider. One of the issues is the strain on our local juvenile detention center with all the young people vaping and the significant increase in vaping products that contain THC, such as marijuana and CBD. After much discussion, it was determined that the City of Lawrenceburg would provide the resources to establish a community service program for juveniles.

This program will allow juveniles to be held accountable for their actions without straining our local resources. In addition to probation, curfews, parental house arrest, drug testing, treatment and education, the juvenile would be required to work so many hours under the supervision of the Lawrenceburg Police Department. The work would include cleaning the levee, the riverwalk, the dog park and washing vehicles owned by the city.”

Lawrenceburg City Court Judge Joe Johns stated “This is just the type of program we need to get the attention of our youth to discourage the vaping of nicotine. In addition to the community service, they are also required to attend a vaping education program.”

Judge Negangard commended the leadership of the mayor in instituting the new program. Judge Negangard stated, “Mayor Mollaun’s leadership in creating this program will provide our juvenile justice system the flexibility to hold juveniles accountable without stretching the resources of the county. We desperately needed a program that could serve as a negative consequence without placing the young person, who is low risk, in an environment where they only learn to be better criminals.

This program is exactly what was needed. Thanks to Mayor Mollaun for his leadership and vision.” The Juvenile Justice Community Service Program will launch on November 1, 2023, with the cooperation of the Lawrenceburg Police Department and the Seventh Circuit Court Probation Department.