'Group' effort-- Pilot project aims to steer teens back on right track

By Paul Janczewski Legal News The November 29 house party in Richfield Township was rocking. Loud music blared, people danced, laughed and had a great time, and adult drinks flowed. That is, until police arrived at about 3 a.m. on a noise complaint made by neighbors. And the authorities discovered those adult beverages were being consumed mainly by under-aged teens. In most cases, the teens would be brought to court on Minor in Possession charges, fined and put on probation, and then sent on their way with nary a lesson learned. But a new program instituted in Genesee County 67th District Court in January may help these young people see the errors they made, and actually learn from their youthful mistakes. It's called "Group Reporting Probation." The pilot project is the brainchild of Genesee County 67th District Court Judge John Conover and Melissa Lane, a case worker and supervisor in that court's Probation Department. "The program is aimed at people aged 17 to the mid-20s, for crimes such as Minor in Possession (MIP), drug or alcohol misuse, or shoplifting," Conover said. He said the program is attempting to reach young and impressionable people now, before their actions lead to a life where wrong choices later have a greater impact. "If you don't do something with them now, it could lead to drunken driving charges later, or worse," he said. He said in the past, MIP charges may have led to a fine, community service, and no long-lasting lessons learned by the youthful offenders. "It was just too easy for the courts to fine them and send them on their way," Conover said. "This program will take a lot of work from our staffs, but hopefully it will be an education to those people." Conover said he and Lane were looking for a new, creative way to deal with young people with no prior criminal record. Lane, who has been a probation worker for six years, also spent two years for the Genesee County Friend of the Court. "For this new program, we were trying to think outside the box, and trying to fill a need and fill a gap in the process," she said. "The program is for people who had earlier fallen through the cracks, the first-time young offenders," Lane said. "We're trying to give them information, and direction. There was nothing like this before, and we believe this will fill a need." In this program, those found guilty enter into a six-month informal probation period. They must pay $75 for the program, and report to three sessions during probation. If they successfully complete the program, the conviction will be taken off their record. "That would cost far less than if we sent them off to other programs," Conover said. The participants will be required to stay out of trouble during the program and adhere to any probationary terms leveled by the judge. Also, they must refrain from the use of all drugs and alcohol, and tests will be given when they report to ensure that is being done. But failure to complete any of those terms could result in a jail sentence and impact any deferred sentencing options, as well as their driving records. Conover said a second MIP or alcohol/drug related charge changes a person's future far worse than the first such charge, and often, young people are not fully aware of the dire consequences. A second charge can lead to the loss of an operator's license, and cause car insurance rates to rise. He said those are often paid by the parents, and affects their rates also. Conover said subsequent convictions also can affect, or eliminate, a person's ability to apply to college or for scholarships, not to mention the impact it will have when they try to apply for jobs. "It all came down to how we could help these kids," Conover said. "And we believe this program will have a better impact than what we utilized in the past." Helping youth has always been a Conover trait, though. He was born in Danville, Ill., on a farm. His father was a shoe salesman, and the family moved about--to Chicago, to Milwaukee, and to Grand Ledge, Mich. Conover graduated from Michigan State University in 1964, majoring in economics and accounting, and worked while he helped his wife, Karen, obtain her degree in education. "I always had an interest in being an attorney, but I never thought I'd have the opportunity," he said. But the young couple moved to Detroit while his wife worked for Ecorse High School, and he entered the Detroit College of Law, graduating in 1970. Conover said he found the Flint area to be similar to his rural upbringing, so they moved there and he set up a practice while his wife taught at a Flint high school. Eventually, they moved to nearby Davison, and had two children. Bree Moore, his daughter, is an attorney, but not practicing now. Chad Conover, their son, is a police officer in the greater Detroit area. While in Davison, his wife was later elected to the school board there, and has been for the past 20 years. Conover ran for district court judge in 1984, but lost. He later became a Genesee County Circuit Court referee, maintaining his private practice, and came under the attention of then-Gov. John Engler, who appointed him to the 67th District Court bench in 1992. He's been re-elected ever since, and never had any opposition. Conover calls district court "the people's court," and he said he treats everyone with respect but rules according to the law. "I try to be fair, and compassionate," he said. But Conover grew up in a time and place where, if you screwed up, you accept the blame and the consequences that come with it. He believes that what judges do outside the court, in their own community, is every bit as important. And that includes being involved with young people. He has coached youth sports teams, and pops up an almost every community event. He's an avid hunter and fisherman. "You are shaped, and your judicial philosophy is shaped, by your life experiences," Conover said, noting that the new program was spawned from that line of thinking. "This is simply an extension of what I've tried to do my whole life. Treat people, and these young people, with honor and kindness. I want them to leave my court feeling like they've be treated with respect." At a recent mid-January court session, Conover had a packed court of about 70 people, including a number of teens who were busted at that November house party. He explained the program to them, including the possibility of a clean record if they successfully complete it. He told the teens that different speakers will be at each session--about 10 are scheduled through November--and they would hear from professionals from Career Alliance, attorneys, Alcoholics Anonymous, and court administration, among others. "We are trying to reach you now, when you're young," Conover said. One by one, the teens pleaded guilty to MIP, and told Conover what happened. One girl said she had to call her mother to explain what happened and to come get her. The girl said her mother was not happy, "but she was glad I was honest." "I only had one beer," another said, admitting an older cousin bought it for her. After they were placed in the program, a few agreed to talk to a reporter. One girl, 18, said the program appears to be a good thing, considering what could have happened to her. "It's a more positive way to learn," she said. "And it's amazing that I won't end up with a conviction." "I'm very grateful," she added. "This is like a second chance." Another girl, who was drinking vodka and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.08, is taking classes at a Kalamazoo-area college, and working. "This is a very good idea," she said of the program. "Everybody makes mistakes and gets caught, but this gives me a chance to learn from my mistakes. You learn how the consequences can ruin your future." Lane said that's what the program is trying to do. She said in the past, people charged with these types of infractions had no accountability, and no formal structure to show them what could happen if they picked up new charges. "The message is, don't screw up in the future, because it will be worse," Lane said. "But with this program, we'll show them where to go, and how to make better choices." She said some of the speakers will address what is needed to find jobs in this economy, possible license sanctions and legal ramifications of different charges. None of the sessions will be the same, so the participants can chose what they need to focus on. "I think it's going to be a great program," Lane said. "We're just trying to keep it fresh." She said the program may be expanded to other courts in the future. "The program is in its infancy, so for now, it's trial by error as we work the bugs out," Lane said. "But as long as it benefits the community, it can continue and evolve." Dena Altheide, 67th District Court director, said the program focuses in on minors and alcohol. "We hope the kids walk away with a better understanding of what they can and cannot do." "A lot of teens charged with this think it's no big deal, but the program will show them that it can really affect your future," Altheide said. Attorney Jay Clothier, who will be one of the speakers, also believes the program has merit. "Young people need professionals talking to them early on, so they can see what the law is and share their life experiences with them, and the ramifications of making bad choices." He said many kids hear the same things from their parents, but are distrustful of their advice, and he hopes to "bridge the gap" between those two factions coming from different eras. "I'll try to scare 'em straight," Clothier said. "I want them to know that the consequences can be horrific as the result of one stupid action." Reaching back into his own kid-speak, Conover puts it in a simple vernacular. "We think this program is going to be pretty neat," Conover said. Published: Thu, Feb 4, 2010

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