Login | April 26, 2024
Judge O’Brien to take over re-entry court
Published: July 26, 2016
The Summit County Court of Common Pleas General Division announced that Judge Lynne S. Callahan’s Re-Entry Court Specialized Docket has been reassigned to Judge Tammy O’Brien.
Judge Callahan is running unopposed for a seat on the Ohio 9h District Court of Appeals in the 2016 November elections.
In addition to Judge O’Brien’s re-entry court, the two other general division re-entry courts are currently overseen by Judge Alison McCarty and Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands.
These courts use the power of judicial authority to aggressively monitor released offenders and provide essential assistance to support the offender’s reintegration into the community.
Another benefit of the program is assisting in the reduction of the overcrowded prison population.
The three general division judges presiding over re-entry court operations comply with state law related to re-entry courts and conform to local needs. Each contains certain core elements, which include:
• Offender assessment and planning, which brings together re-entry court personnel, such as a judge, probation officer and case manager to explain the re-entry process to the offender and identify his/her needs upon release;
• Active offender oversight, which includes routine judicial visits with all offenders;
• Accountability to the community, which includes the development of initiatives to ensure that offenders are held accountable both to victims and the community;
• Graduated and parsimonious sanctions, or a predetermined range of sanctions for violations of the conditions of release that can be swiftly, predictably and universally applied;
• Access to an array of supportive services, which includes substance abuse treatment, job training programs, private employers, faith-based institutions, housing services and community service providers; and
• Positive judicial reinforcement and rewarding successful offender behavior and compliance with the conditions of release.
“I am excited to become involved in the re-entry court program, which has been shown to reduce recidivism and assist its participants with successful reintegration into our community,” said Judge O’Brien.