CNN
12/12/2018
Eliott C. McLaughlin and Chuck Johnston, CNN
Teen planned to commit violence at Indiana school, but police say tipster helped them stop him A teenager was en route to an Indiana middle school Thursday to commit an act of violence, but police were able to stop him after receiving a tip, state police said. The 14-year-old exchanged gunfire with police at Dennis […]
Indiana Task Force on Public Defense
12/14/2018
The Indiana Task Force on Public Defense has released a comprehensive report addressing the current strengths and challenges of Indiana’s public defense services. The Indiana Public Defender Commission has responded with a comprehensive public policy reform agenda. An information session will occur on Monday, December 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Indiana […]
Indiana Office of Court Services
12/14/2018
The updates to the Probation Standards and Safety and Security Guide are now posted on the IOCS website. Please note that standard 1.25 requires probation departments to adopt policies on suicide awareness and prevention for adult and juvenile probation officers. New links for free online training opportunities have been added to the probation training page […]
WFIU/WTIU
12/13/2018
Sean Hogan
Studies are indicating fentanyl is causing more cases of deadly opioid overdoses than heroin. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that when overdosed usually results in the substance attacking areas in the brain that control respiration. Brad Ray is the Director of Indiana University Center for Health and Justice Research. He says all prescribed opioids have a […]
13 WTHR
12/9/2018
Michael Rubinkam
MOUNT CARBON, Pa. (AP) — Janel Firestone found her son — the 24-year-old, just resigned mayor of the tiny Pennsylvania town of Mount Carbon — in what she assumed was a deep sleep. She tried to wake him for his overnight shift at the local supermarket, but he couldn’t be roused, even after she sprinkled […]
WFIU/WTIU
11/29/2018
Barbara Brosher
Officials in a central Indiana county says it’s more fiscally responsible to build a new jail than temporarily house some inmates in semitrailers. The biggest barrier for Hancock County continues to be funding the project. There were 242 people in the jail Thursday, which is designed to hold just under 160. The county asked taxpayers to support a […]
USA Today
11/19/2018
Ken Alltucker
As the nation struggled with the rising number of opioid deaths, a private drug company increased the price of an overdose antidote more than 600 percent, a Senate subcommittee says in a new report. The increase has cost the federal Medicare and Medicaid health programs more than $142 million since 2014, according the Homeland Security […]
13 WTHR
12/3/2018
AP
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A new website is available to provide legal resources to Indiana residents of limited financial means and help them with civil matters including family, housing, employment, and educational services. The website, indianalegalhelp.org , provides contact information for legal service providers in each county, questions to ask when hiring a lawyer and a […]
Time
11/21/2018
Anna Gorman
The number of people hospitalized because of amphetamine use is skyrocketing in the United States, but the resurgence of the drug largely has been overshadowed by the nation’s intense focus on opioids. Amphetamine-related hospitalizations jumped by about 245% from 2008 to 2015, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. […]
Pew
11/9/2018
Overview The number of people with opioid use disorder (OUD)—which is marked by a dependence on opioids, including prescription pain relievers and illicit drugs such as heroin—far exceeds the treatment capacity across the country. In 2017, more than 450,000 individuals with OUD were unable to access treatment. Increasingly, states and local communities are implementing models […]
The Conversation
7/20/2018
The overdose-reversing drug naloxone saves thousands of lives each year and is more widely available today than ever. So why do overdose deaths across the U.S. continue to rise? According to one 2018 study, naloxone itself is partly to blame. Naloxone, the authors of the study wrote, increases opioid use and does not reduce opioid-related […]
The Washington Post
11/21/2018
Christie Thompson and Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge | The Marshall Project
Inside federal prisons’ dangerous failure to treat inmates with mental-health disorders The voices in John Rudd’s head were getting louder. It was April 2017, and Rudd, an inmate at a federal prison near Hazelton, W.Va., had stopped taking his psychiatric medication. He told staff members that he wanted to hang himself, so they moved him […]
Neuroscience News
Summary: A new mouse study reveals exercise may help curb drug addiction and buffer against relapse by altering the production of peptides in the brain. The siren call of addictive drugs can be hard to resist, and returning to the environment where drugs were previously taken can make resistance that much harder. However, addicts who […]
HTO
11/30/2018
Abby Tonsing
A newly-created position at the Monroe County Correctional Center will serve as a gofer between inmates inside the jail and family members on the outside. Need help setting up an account for the jail’s video visitation system? Need an inmate’s signature on legal paperwork? Need assistance working the computer kiosk inside the jail’s lobby? Have […]
Division of Mental Health and Addiction
Brad Ray, Director, Center for Criminal Justice Research and Associate Professor, IUPUI School of Public and Environmental Affairs authored the Recovery Works Evaluation: Phase Two Policy Brief with research support from Evan Lowder, PhD, Research Associate, IUPUI School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Staci Rising Paquet, Program Analyst, Center for Criminal Justice Research. Description from the report: To […]
CBS News
(Slide Show) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes data about drug overdose mortality rates in every state, annually. Here is a look at the states ranked by overdose-related death rates for 2016, the most recent year available. Synopsis of Slides: (see original article for all) #50: The overdose death rate in Nebraska is […]
Indiana Courts Bulletin
11/18/2018
Trial Court Technology is distributing $271,000 in scanners to probation departments across the state to facilitate e-filing. Contact Mary DePrez with questions.
St. Louis Post Dispatch
11/19/2018
Tony Messenger
Jerry Swartz knows a thing or two about making money. The Moberly, Mo., man owns an insurance agency, a real estate development company and other businesses. He has more than 30 employees. He’s done well for himself. So when he describes the revenue strategy of private probation companies in Missouri, his words carry a certain […]
Bioengineer
11/20/2018
Bioengineer, Credit: Medical University of South Carolina
When patients with dependence on alcohol, cocaine or nicotine are shown drug cues, or images related to the substance, an area of their brain known as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) shows increased activity, report investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in an article published online September 7, 2018 in Translational Psychiatry. […]
The Verge
11/20/2018
Angela Chen
It’s not because teens are consuming weed more, it’s because they’re using tobacco and alcohol less Teens used to try alcohol first, then tobacco, and then marijuana. Now, marijuana is increasingly the first “gateway” substance for adolescents, according to new research. This trend is not because teens are smoking cannabis more than ever. Rather, the […]
CBS News
11/08/2018
SAN FRANCISCO — It has been dubbed “the Florida Shuffle.” Drug addicts from across the country get lured to the Sunshine State for decades with the promise of treatment, only to be traded from one unscrupulous drug rehab to another. Meanwhile, the patient’s insurance company gets milked for tens of thousands of dollars in fraudulent […]
Rolling Stone
10/8/2018
Amelia McDonell-Parry
From Virginia to Alaska, methamphetamine use is surging — and it’s hitting in many places still reeling from the opioid crisis In the shadows of the nationwide opioid crisis, another threat looms. Methamphetamine use is on the rise in small rural pockets of the country, from Oklahoma and Virginia, to Kentucky and Florida, and, as […]
IndyStar
9/26/2018
Jessica Levy
With college costs rising and a shortage of skilled trade workers, trade school offers students an alternate path to a promising career. In a world where college costs are rising and student loans can be stifling, high school students and their parents are increasingly looking for alternatives to expensive four-year college programs. One alternative that […]
The Indiana Lawyer
11/9/2018
Dave Stafford
A man arguing that a trial court abused its discretion in imposing an advisory sentence without issuing a statement lost his case when the Indiana Court of Appeals found that under Indiana code, courts are not required to issue statements for advisory felony sentences. In May 2008, Anthony Ward, Sr., pleaded guilty to Level 5 […]
Vice
11/12/2018
Jason Silverstein
Recent analyses show that people in the construction industry are six times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than other workers. Construction workers are dying from opioid overdoses across the country, both because they are often forced to work hard jobs through the pain of injuries in order to provide for their families—and […]
Inverse
10/3/2018
Sarah Sloat
Substance use comes with cognitive repercussions. While the recreational use of marijuana is an increasingly a legalized activity, the exact science of what the drug does to the brain isn’t yet conclusive. In an effort to understand what happens to the brain right from the start of smoking, scientists recently studied the substance use of nearly […]
ABC News
10/31/2018
Anna Jackson
The FDA announced on Friday that it would side with its advisory panel by approving a new opioid drug, called Dsuvia, despite the country already being in the midst of an opioid crisis and critics voicing concerns about the safety of the drug. FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb defended the FDA’s decision to approve the […]
Quora
10/8/2018
What factors fueled the growing opioid crisis that exists in the US right now? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Beth Macy, Bestselling author (Dopesick, Factory Man, Truevine), on Quora: Rapacious overselling of painkillers, pushed under the […]
Mic
11/2/2018
Bakari Kitwana
On Election Day, Ohioans will vote on a ballot initiative designed to help decriminalize nonviolent drug use and to divert millions of taxpayer dollars — currently spent pursuing an outdated and failed war on drugs — into drug treatment programs. By challenging perceptions of drug users, Issue 1 upends racist assumptions the nation has accepted […]
Indy Star
11/08/2018
Kellie Hwang
The passage of a bill in Michigan on Tuesday is creating buzz around Indiana. Voters voted in favor of Proposal 1, which will legalize recreational use of marijuana in Michigan in early December for adults 21 and older. Cannabis has been legal for medical use in Michigan since 2008. Medical marijuana is also legal in […]
TeacherIN
10/10/2018
Kris Maher
INDIANAPOLIS — Jennifer Fleming was convicted of dealing drugs in 2012, but when she gets out of prison next year, she is hoping for a job in computer coding. “Technology is definitely going to be a steppingstone in keeping myself stable,” said Ms. Fleming, who is one of eight women in a pilot program at […]
Indianapolis Star
10/30/2018
Ryan Martin
A new study reveals a long-suspected but previously-unproven truth in Indianapolis: Most opioid overdose deaths occur in just 5 percent of the city. And those are the same areas most wracked by violence, such as robberies and shootings. The study also provides preliminary evidence that a national public health epidemic — the opioid crisis — […]
The Washington Post
9/8/2018
Lindsey Bever
Following hundreds of lawsuits over the years against pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma, Colorado’s attorney general is suing the OxyContin creator for its “significant role in causing the opioid epidemic.” The lawsuit claims Purdue Pharma L.P. and Purdue Pharma Inc. deluded doctors and patients in Colorado about the potential for addiction with prescription opioids and continued […]
NPR
10/29/2018
Shankar Vedamtam, Jennifer Schmidt, Parth Shah, Tara Boyle, and Camilla Vargas-Restrepo
Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a stunning statistic. Seventy-two thousand people, it estimates, died of drug overdoses in 2017. The huge increase in deaths is largely due to heroin and powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl. One of the tools being used to fight that wave of deaths is the […]
NPR
10/25/2018
Frank Morris
The sharp rise in opioid abuse and fatal overdoses has overshadowed another mounting drug problem: Methamphetamine use is rising across the United States. “Usage of methamphetamine nationally is at an all-time high,” says Erik Smith, assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Kansas City office. “It is back with a vengeance.” he […]
IDS
9/19/2018
Sydney Tomlinson
At first glance, faith and law may not seem to mix. Faith, on one hand, requires one to be gentle and forgiving. Law, on the other, requires strength and firmness. Yet both deal heavily in questions of morality — in deciding what is right and wrong. Judge Marc Kellams, 69, has explored that mix of […]
Chicago Tribune
8/31/2018
Robert McCoppin
Marijuana advocates were overjoyed this week when Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner legalized medical cannabis as a substitute for prescription painkillers. The Marijuana Policy Project called it a “big win” for patients, and officials say it will greatly expand the number of patients, possibly saving lives. But the new state law raises the question: How effective […]
Politico Magazine
8/25/2018
Erick Trickey
Rhode Island inmates get opioid replacements while they’re locked up and it seems to be keeping them from overdosing when they get out. CRANSTON, R.I. — By the time police caught Paul Roussell with heroin last summer, the 58-year-old lobster fisherman had been addicted to the drug for almost 10 years. He’d gone from sniffing […]
News and Tribune
8/29/2018
April Rickert
Proposed site on Ewing Lane still to pass planning commission, council JEFFERSONVILLE — Over the past two and a half years, one Southern Indiana woman has found a way out of a bad situation and now can look ahead at a new life, through the help of a permanent supportive housing program through LifeSpring Health […]
AP
8/25/2018
Colleen Long, Frank Bajak and Will Weissert
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Federal authorities’ shift away from separating immigrant families caught in the U.S. illegally now means that many parents and children are quickly released, only to be fitted with electronic monitoring devices — a practice which both the government and advocacy groups oppose for different reasons. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement […]
Boston Glove
10/17/2018
Dialynn Dwyer
“Make no mistake, no matter who you are or what you look like: Maddie’s bell tolls for someone close to you, and maybe someone you love.” “Gut wrenching.” “Heartbreaking.” “A beautiful tribute.” Those are just a few of the words being used on social media to describe the obituary for Madelyn Linsenmeir, whose family wrote […]
13 WTHR
8/23/2018
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse has launched an interactive, online naloxone administration heat map that provides insight into the location of incidents where naloxone was administered and reported by emergency medical services providers. Also known by the brand name Narcan®, naloxone blocks the effects of an opioid overdose and can save the life […]
Indiana Public Media
10/17/2018
Jill Sheridan
A national Opioid Task Force held a field hearing in Indianapolis this week and provided a chance for the group to hear how legal interventions aid people with a substance use disorder. The justice system is often the first point of entry for someone with an addiction. Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush sits on the […]
Indiana Office of Court Services
10/10/2018
Kathryn Dolan
Many judges, magistrates, and commissioners were recognized by Chief Justice Loretta Rush for their commitment to higher education and their long-time service. Fourteen judicial officers received an Indiana Judicial College certificate, twenty-nine received an Indiana Graduate Program for Judges certificate, and eleven were honored for Years of Service on the bench. The honors were presented […]
Daily Mail
10/8/2018
Tim Collins
A revolutionary fingerprint scanner can deliver drug test results within minutes with up to 99 per cent accuracy. That’s the finding of a new study that looked at the performance of the Reader 1000 compared to existing urine and blood tests. The device accurately tests for the four main groups of drugs most commonly abused […]
Clinton County Daily News
06/25/2018
Ken Hartman
The United Nations defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by improper means such as force, abduction, fraud or coercion for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation. However, the really scary thing about human trafficking is the fact that the Midwest, as well as the state […]
The Indiana Lawyer
10/09/2018
IL Staff
E-filing is now mandatory in Warrick County, with just four more counties remaining to implement the online filing system. As of Tuesday, 89 Indiana trial courts have adopted mandatory e-filing for most case types. Courts that will soon make the switch to mandatory e-filing include Goshen City Court, Lake Circuit and Superior Courts, Wayne Circuit […]
NPR
10/5/2018
Jake Harper
Months in prison didn’t rid Daryl of his addiction to opioids. “Before I left the parking lot of the prison, I was shooting up, getting high,” he says. Daryl has used heroin and prescription painkillers for more than a decade. Almost four years ago he became one of more than 200 people who tested positive […]
Indiana Lawyer
10/3/2018
Olivia Covington
He may be the one wearing the robe, but the rapport Monroe Circuit Judge Kenneth Todd shares with defendants lacks the rigidity commonly found in court hearings. Instead, as defendants approach the bench, there is a sense of familiarity between him and those whose future he holds in his hands. “How long have you and […]
Daily Caller
8/29/2018
Evie Fordham
Democratic California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill eliminating cash bail in the state Tuesday Maryland virtually eliminated cash bail in 2017, but proponents of a reworked justice system are not happy with the results Several states and cities are moving toward reducing or ending cash bail California became the first state to end the […]
ABC News
10/2/2018
Janie Har
Driven in part by family tragedy, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has repeatedly pledged to open what could be the first supervised drug injection site in the country. However, California Gov. Jerry Brown made the promise tougher to keep when he vetoed legislation over the weekend that would have given San Francisco some legal cover […]
The Journal Gazette
10/05/2018
Dave Gong
Pastor tells how, at 14, his plot to avenge a murder fell apart The Rev. Charles Harrison’s brother was killed in Louisville, Kentucky, at the age of 21. “I will never forget that, when my parents received the phone call to inform them that my brother had been killed in Louisville,” Harrison said, speaking to […]
IndyStar
10/06/2018
When I relocated to Indiana to assume my role as chief medical officer at Fairbanks three years ago, I witnessed firsthand — on day one — the level of devastation the opioid crisis has inflicted on our communities. Today, despite physicians’ best efforts, relentless news coverage, and the establishment of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Commission to Combat Drug Abuse, the opioid epidemic is getting worse in Indiana. This illness does not […]
Fox 59
09/26/2018
Kelly Reinke
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A drug treatment program called New Beginnings at the Monroe County Jail is helping addicts while they are still behind bars. It started a little more than a year ago and it’s finding success. New Beginnings is a 90-day re-entry program. Participants in the program take life skills classes for the last […]
NBC News
7/27/2018
Avichai Scher
Doctors are prescribing benzodiazepines, like Xanax and Ativan, at skyrocketing rates. But most don’t know about their debilitating, even deadly, effects. Video: When Christy Huff developed a painful eye problem that led to insomnia, her doctor had a common solution— Xanax. She took the medication as directed. One pill at night offered her some […]
NBC News
09/20/2018
Maggie Fox
Efforts to fight the epidemic must focus on more than just the availability of certain drugs, the researchers say. The current opioid overdose crisis is actually part of a 40-year trend that is still headed upward, and current efforts to fight it may not be anywhere near enough, researchers said Thursday. A new analysis of […]
Indiana Public Media
09/18/2018
Brandon Smith
Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush says she’s encouraged by progress shown in a new type of specialty court. There are several types of so-called “problem-solving” courts. They include drug courts to help with the state’s addiction epidemic and others aimed at military veterans. Rush says one of the newest types is family recovery […]
The Hill
9/17/2018
Jessie Hellmann
The Senate on Monday passed a bipartisan, multipronged package of 70 bills aimed at curbing the opioid epidemic, but Congress still has work to do to reach the finish line. The package, which passed 99-1 and focuses on prevention and treatment, includes a provision President Trump endorsed on Twitter last month. It marks the most […]
CBS 4 Indy
09/20/2018
Russ McQuaid
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Recycle Force President Gregg Keesling knows all about tearing down television sets and electronics for recycling. He’s learning more about gunshot wounds and insurance for his employees. “It is fairly common for people in our program to be shot and return back to work. We’ve had people return the next day,” said […]
Indy Star
9/20/2018
Kelly Wilkinson
Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana’s New Beginnings hosted the 3-on-3 basketball tournament bringing together participants in New Beginnings, a six month re-entry program for ex-offenders that work on job and life skills, with representatives from Goodwill, IMPD, the Mayor’s Office, Marion County Probation department and other services.
The Indiana Lawyer
9/20/2018
Associated Press
The Trump administration has awarded Indiana more than $25 million to fight the opioid epidemic, largely by expanding access to treatment and recovery services. Indiana’s funding announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was among more than $1 billion awarded to all 50 states to combat opioid abuse. Indiana is getting […]
Indiana Lawyer
9/18/2018
Katie Stancombe
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush has been named the state’s 2018 Government Leader of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. “The role of the chief justice of Indiana is expansive in both its responsibilities and importance,” a Tuesday press release said. “Loretta Rush brings a passionate commitment, and strong organizational skills and communication […]
US Department of Veterans Affairs
9/17/2018
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it is ready to hire an additional 50 Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialists following President Trump’s signing today of the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018, a new law shoring up support services to Veterans impacted by the justice system. The law requires […]
Washington Examiner
8/16/2018
Erin Dunne
(See original article for a video) The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released preliminary overdose estimates for 2017. Although a few states offer some encouraging examples of progress, the estimates — or even just one, the record 72,000 overdose deaths — offer a troubling look at how the United States is still struggling to […]
Corrections & Mental Health
9/9/2018
Lori Whitten
In 2010, more than 4 million adults in the United States were under probation supervision, according to estimates from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Increasingly, the role of probation officers—the correctional professionals who supervise these individuals—has shifted from monitoring offender compliance with court orders to helping people change their behavior. This more inThis is a […]
Society for Human Resource Management and the Charles Koch Institute
5/17/2018
A Survey by the Society for Human Resource Management and the Charles Koch Institute The number of Americans with a criminal history is on the rise, and nearly one-third of the adult working-age population has a record. A new nationwide study commissioned by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Charles Koch Institute […]
Indiana Task Force on Public Defense
09/12/2018
The Indiana Task Force on Public Defense (Task Force) presented its Final Report to the Indiana Public Defender Commission (Commission) on August 22, 2018. The report identified numerous systemic deficiencies and made recommendations for both immediate and long-term system reforms. The Commission has tentatively approved a legislative/policy reform agenda for 2019 and seeks public comment […]
The United States Probation Office for the Southern District of Indiana has been dedicated to the memory of U.S. Probation Officer Thomas E. Gahl, who was the first U.S. Probation Officer killed in the line of duty by a parolee. Tom was killed on September 22, 1986, by Michael Wayne Jackson, who had a life-long […]
The Indiana Lawyer
09/12/2018
David Stafford
A juvenile accused of robbing a pharmacy might not be tried in federal criminal court because attempted robbery is not considered a violent crime in Indiana, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, vacating the teen’s waiver to be tried as an adult. D.D.B. was arrested with an adult accomplice shortly after an Indianapolis […]
Indiana Office of Court Services
09/13/2018
The Indiana Office of Court Services will be holding the Justice Services Conference on August 6-8, 2019 at the Indiana Convention Center. Though it is a year away, we are ready to start planning for this event and we would love your help! Like last year, we are opening a Call for Papers. If you […]
The Founder’s Award is a way of recognizing individuals who have significantly contributed to the field of probation in general and specifically to the POPAI organization. The recipient need not be a Probation Officer or POPAI member. The selected person however, shall be characterized by his/her commitment of influence and promotion of professionalism to Indiana […]
wane.com
9/14/2018
Angelica Robinson
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – – The Food and Drug Administration made national headlines when it declared that teen vaping is an epidemic. The agency threatened to stop the sale of flavored e-cigarettes if the manufacturers cannot prove they are doing enough to keep them out of the hands of teens. JUUL and at least […]
NPR
09/12/2018
Nina Feldman
Cristina Rivell has been struggling with an opioid addiction since she was a teenager — going in and out of rehab for five years. The most recent time, her doctor prescribed her a low dose of buprenorphine (often known by its brand name, Suboxone), a drug that helps curb cravings for stronger opioids and prevents […]
Herald Times
9/5/2018
Ernest Rollins
Declining user fee revenues continue to be a budgeting concern for probation and community corrections officials. Two probation officer positions previously supported by the court, alcohol and drug fees fund were moved to the county general fund on Tuesday, the first day of the 2019 county council budget work sessions. Chief Probation Officer Linda Brady […]
Fast Company
8/17/2018
Eillie Anzilotti
Around 25 years ago, Ty Hookway, founder of the upstate New York-based janitorial services company CleanCraft, was driving past one of their client’s houses when he noticed one of his workers’ cars parked in front. It was late–around 11 p.m.–so Hookway stopped to check in and see if everything was okay. Inside, he saw Sanford […]
Bustle
8/22/2018
Renae Reints
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, 116 people die from opioid-related overdoses every day. These numbers reached record highs in 2016, prompting President Trump to temporarily declare a state of emergency in late 2017, but new opioid overdose statistics analyzed by Salon show the crisis could actually be getting worse. Data […]
Fox News
8/22/2018
Gov. Asa Hutchinson | Fox News
Richard King suffers from bipolar disorder. A pastor and Vietnam veteran from Fort Smith, Ark., Richard has undergone treatment for his mental illness for years. But when a stomach illness prevented him from taking his prescribed medication, he found himself on March 11 experiencing a mental health crisis that led to his arrest on a […]
Vox
8/20/2018
German Lopez
There are real concerns with marijuana addiction. That doesn’t mean legalization is a bad idea. It is now widely accepted that marijuana is, at the very least, less dangerous than other recreational drugs. The typical line you’ll hear — I certainly do in my email inbox — is that “marijuana is harmless,” often meant as […]
Indianapolis Star
08/26/2018
Billy Kobin
Nearly two years ago, 11 Indiana counties, including Hamilton and Hendricks, decided to try a different approach to handling those arrested and awaiting trial. Instead of setting money bail amounts, judges would use risk assessments to decide whether defendants should be held in jail or, more likely, simply be allowed to go home on the promise they would return […]
NPR
08/28/2018
Vanessa Romo
California will become the first state in the nation to abolish bail for suspects awaiting trial under a sweeping reform bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday. An overhaul of the state’s bail system has been in the works for years, and became an inevitability earlier this year when a California appellate court declared the […]
WFYI Indianapolis
08/22/2018
Barbara Brosher
An increasing number of Indiana school districts are turning to truancy courts to address issues with chronic absences. But, the focus isn’t on punishing students. The state defines chronic truancy as a student having at least 10 unexcused absences during one school year. Many districts across the state are adopting policies that aim to connect […]
Herald Times
9/1/2018
Laura Lane
Criminal defendants who don’t show up for a court hearing may find themselves in a bad place — jail — if a judge orders them arrested for failure to appear. This happens all the time. It can be a life-altering event for the person who gets arrested, who is held without bond, sometimes for days, […]
NY Times
8/18/2018
Abby Goodnough
OAKLAND, Calif. — Every year, thousands of people addicted to opioids show up at hospital emergency rooms in withdrawal so agonizing it leaves them moaning and writhing on the floor. Usually, they’re given medicines that help with vomiting or diarrhea and sent on their way, maybe with a few numbers to call about treatment. When […]
ABC
8/22/2018
A woman that police called “one of the worst DUI offenders in the United States” has been sentenced. RIVERSIDE, Ill. (WLS) — Tasha Lynn Schleicher, 41, of New Hope, Minnesota, was arrested in west suburban Riverside in April and faced multiple charges, including two counts of felony aggravated drunk driving, two counts of misdemeanor drunk […]
The Progressive
8/8/2018
Stephanie Wykstra
Compared to jail, electronic monitoring with ankle bracelets is said to be a more humane and effective approach—but it’s not so simple. The movement to reform bail practices and thereby shrink jail populations could lead to a harmful over-reliance on electronic monitoring. Nearly half a million people who have not yet been convicted of a […]
Politico
06/22/2018
ADAM CANCRYN
The House is touting passage of dozens of bills that could help combat the national opioid crisis — but a small handful of companies that have spent millions lobbying Congress could reap a windfall if any of the bills become law. In a two-week legislative blitz, the House cleared several narrowly tailored measures that would […]
Linda Brady, Probation Representative to State EBDM Policy Team
The state Evidence Based Decision Making (EBDM) Policy Team met on August 17, 2018. Agenda and Work Group Reports: State EBDM Team Agenda 8-17-2018 Pretrial Work Group Report 8-17-2018 Behavior Responses Group Report 8-17-2018 Professional Development Work Group Report 8-14-2018 Data Work Group Report 8-14-2018 The next State Team meeting will be October 5, 2018, […]
The 18th Annual Judge David’s Community In-Service is on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. This year’s theme is: “Keeping Our Kids in Safe Waters: How to Navigate the Depths of Mental Health Challenges and Suicide Prevention”. Attendees will hear a powerful Keynote presentation from Kevin Hines. In September 2000, Kevin leapt off the Golden Gate Bridge, […]
NWI Times
08/15/2018
Steve Garrison
Recently retired public defender planned to pursue passion for judiciary before fatal shooting, friends say A prominent attorney remembered for his warmth, good humor and precise legal mind was expected to retire at month’s end to pursue his passion for the judiciary. Instead, Tracy Edward Page was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon at his Hobart […]
Time
05/14/2018
Eliana Dockterman
The men file in, a few wearing pressed button-down shirts, others jeans caked in mud from work on a construction site. They meet in the living room of an old taupe bungalow on a leafy street in a small Southern city. Someone has shoved a workout bike into the corner to make room for a […]
The Indiana Lawyer
08/08/2018
Dave Stafford
A man who argued public policy should disfavor criminally charging people who have overdosed on heroin lost Wednesday, as the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed his felony possession conviction. Tavis Ray Crittendon raised those arguments and others in appealing his conviction after a bench trial in Kosciusko County. “Although Crittendon argues that there is a […]
IU NewsNet
4/23/2018
Nationally-acclaimed photographer, Richard Ross, brings his work “Juvenile In Justice” to Bloomington for the month of April. His photos show the treatment and containment of children in detention centers and have been featured by CNN, NPR, TIME Magazine, 60 Minutes, The Washington Post and more. The artist visited Bloomington for two days and held events, […]
WTHI-TV 10
8/13/2018
Sarah Lehman
The Vigo County Veterans Court has been recognized and is being awarded a federal grant. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) — The Vigo County veterans court was started about three years ago by Judge John Roach. Since it started it’s helped almost 30 veterans get out of the system and get their lives back on track. […]
Herald Times
8/14/2018
Ernest Rollins
For almost 35 years, the county’s road crew program has served as an alternative to jail time. However, for financial reasons, Monroe County judges decided to discontinue the program. The last day of the program was Saturday. Eight individuals participated. “We are disappointed that we have to cease with road crew, but we have to […]
NPR
08/04/2018
Eric Westervelt
As legalization of recreational and medical marijuana continues to expand, police across the country are more concerned than ever about stoned drivers taking to the nation’s roads and freeways, endangering lives. With few accurate roadside tools to detect pot impairment, police today have to rely largely on field sobriety tests developed to fight drunk driving […]
IndyStar
8/8/2018
Crystal Hill
A car inspection on I-70 led to the discovery of $1 million worth of marijuana hidden in fresh lettuce, Indiana State Police said Wednesday. A tractor-trailer traveling eastbound was stopped near the 41 mile marker around 7:30 a.m. in Putnam County for a routine inspection, State Police said in a news release. A search of […]
Wave 3 News, Louisville
8/7/18
Charles Gazaway
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (WAVE) – Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb is now joining the call to pass a hate crime law in the Hoosier state. The move comes just days after anti-Semitic graffiti was spray painted on a synagogue in Carmel. The vandalism has united the Carmel community and much of the state who are urging lawmakers […]
“Dr. Earl gave us treasures and nuggets that we have immediately implemented, with respect to diversity recruitment and retention, and leadership development.” — Alfred Dowe, Asst. Director of Recruitment and Community Outreach University of Arkansas Graduate School and International Education “Many, many thanks for your refreshing insights and positive approaches to coping with change during […]
The Indiana Lawyer
07/25/2018
Olivia Covington
Lake Superior Judge Elizabeth Tavitas was on the bench on July 18 when her phone rang with a message that would change her career. It was a call from Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, informing her that she had been selected as Indiana’s next Court of Appeals judge. “I saw his (Holcomb’s) name light up on my […]
The Indiana Lawyer
07/25/2018
Katie Stancombe
It’s not uncommon for the Indiana Department of Child Services to hear it doesn’t have enough evidence to support its child welfare cases. Children in need of services cases that enter the court often leave shredded by judges for lack of a sufficient reasoning as to why they came before the bench without enough evidence […]
The following candidates are slated for the 2018 POPAI Fall Election: President: Adam McQueen Secretary: Cherie Wood District 2: Cheryl Bartnick Ryan Hull Heather Malone District 4: Lakisha Fisher District 6: Andria Geigle District 8: Mignon Ware Article XII ELECTIONS E. Voting The President of the Association shall open the annual meeting of the Association […]
Journal Review
7/25/2018
Nick Hedrick
Stakeholders discuss ways to curb addiction Police, health care providers and others at the center of the local opioid problem will soon receive a map for helping tackle drug abuse. After months of gathering input, Montgomery United Fund For You’s United Against Opioid Abuse Project is completing a report that seeks to gauge the extent […]
nwi.com
7/26/2018
Dan Carden
INDIANAPOLIS — The Hoosier State is at the center of America’s opioid drug abuse epidemic, so it’s up to Hoosiers to figure out how best to combat the scourge and prepare for the next one. That motivation drew nearly 1,000 judicial, law enforcement, public health and community leaders from all 92 counties to the Indiana […]
Herald Times
7/25/2018
Laura Lane
INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds of criminal justice professionals tasted the cruel reality of the state’s opioid crisis when Marion Superior Court Judge William Nelson played a chilling 911 call from a mother who had just found her 20-year-old son dead from an overdose. The 90-second recording of the despondent and sobbing woman filled the ballroom at […]
The Crime Report
7/9/ 2018
Laura Binczewski
In Dallas County, Texas, the main outlet of psychiatric care for those with mental illness is no longer the corrections system. A five-year initiative aimed at bridging the gap between the legal and medical communities is successfully diverting justice-involved mentally ill individuals to effective treatment programs. The key to the program is technology. The initiative […]
Indiana Court Times
6/21/2018
Court Times. Compiled By: Amanda R. Wishin | Research Attorney, Indiana Office of Court Services
New immunities Community corrections officers and probation officers who administer an overdose intervention drug. S.E.A. 13, P.L. 4. A guardian ad litem program and court appointed special advocate program when a child is placed on a waiting list for guardian ad litem or court appointed special advocate services. S.E.A. 135, P.L. 120. Fire department that […]
Indiana State Department of Health
Community Solutions: United to Combat the Opioid Epidemic Register for the 2018 Public Safety + Public Health Opioid Conference being held on Tuesday, August 14th at 502 East Event Centre in Carmel, IN. Cost: $25 Objective The goal of this conference is to showcase how Public Safety and Public Health are strategic partners in the […]
Nominations are being accepted until August 6, 2018 for three awards presented during our Fall Conference in French Lick. The Founder’s Award is a way of recognizing individuals who have significantly contributed to the field of probation in general, and specifically to the POPAI organization. The recipient need not be a Probation Officer or POPAI […]
CBS8.com
7/17/2018
MINNEAPOLIS (KARE11) – A judge’s choice to hand down probation instead of prison time to former day care provider Nataliia Karia, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder, is getting a lot of reaction. “The trauma her victims suffered is undeniable,” said Karia’s attorney Brock Hunter. “I’m sure many of them will be scarred for the […]
The Indiana Lawyer
6/27/2018
Olivia Covington
May 25 was a day that rocked a central Indiana community to its core. A 13-year-old student allegedly opened fire at Noblesville West Middle School, injuring a science teacher and a fellow 13-year-old classmate. Both victims survived, leaving prosecutors with only one option: to try the shooter in juvenile court. Under Indiana law, 13-year-olds cannot […]
Indiana Court Times
6/21/2018
Jane Seigel | Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Judicial Administration and Jenny Bauer | Staff Attorney, Indiana Office of Court Services
Adult and Juvenile Interstate Compacts How many times has an out-of-state offender appeared in your courtroom for sentencing? Do you know what to do if the out-of-state offender is to be sentenced for a felony? Consider the following example: an offender from Illinois appears in your Court for sentencing on a felony Operating a Vehicle […]
13 WTHR
6/30/2018
Brian Slodysko
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers entered this year’s session with limited ambitions when compared to years past. They still passed dozens of new laws. And while many of the most attention grabbing ideas — like legal Sunday retail alcohol sales — were already made the law of the land, more are set to take effect […]
07/13/2018
Troy Hatfield
Greetings POPAI Membership: According to the POPAI Bylaws, Article XIV AMENDMENTS These bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed by the membership if a quorum is present at any regular or special meeting. Written notice of any proposed alteration to the bylaws shall be submitted to the President of the Executive Board at least sixty (60) […]
APPA
The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) recognizes the nearly 100,000-strong members of the community corrections/supervision workforce for your dedication to and influence on the justice system. Each year during Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week (PPPS Week), we make an extra effort to acknowledge your compassion, strength, and determination. You make a difference, even […]
ABC 57
7/11/2018
Jess Arnold
KNOX, Ind. — After receiving board approval at the end of June, Starke County Community Corrections is merging with the probation department. The director of the new Court Services department says the move should reduce caseloads while saving the county big bucks. The director says putting only one person in charge (instead of one leader […]
WTHR13
7/12/2018
Mary Milz
INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – City and neighborhood leaders took part in the ceremonial groundbreaking for Marion County’s new Community Justice Campus Thursday morning. The $571 million project is going to be built on at the site of the former Citizens Energy coke plant on the southeast side of Indianapolis. The campus will house a 3,000-bed jail, […]
USA Today
07/08/2018
Mike Feibus, Special for USA Today
As many as one in four Americans are afraid of needles. That’s led a handful of start-ups to develop alternatives to hypodermic syringes. This would be good news for health care: While needles provide an effective tool for vaccinations and treatments that the stomach’s digestive juices would neutralize if taken orally, needle phobia keeps many […]
WKRC Cincinnati
7/3/18
Angennette Levy
HIDDEN VALLEY, Ind. (WKRC) – Evidence in the murder of Tom Biedenharn suggests more than one person was involved in his death, Indiana State Police said Tuesday. The revelation comes as Biedenharn’s family renewed its plea for information in the case by putting up a $50,000 reward. Biedenharn was found murdered in his home in […]
News and Tribune
6/15/2018
Brooke McAfee
How to find help If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or the Crisis Text Line by texting 741-741. JEFFERSONVILLE — A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published last Thursday revealed that suicide rates have risen in almost every […]
Nominations are being accepted until August 6, 2018 for three awards presented during our Fall Conference in French Lick. The Founder’s Award is a way of recognizing individuals who have significantly contributed to the field of probation in general, and specifically to the POPAI organization. The recipient need not be a Probation Officer or POPAI […]
International Association of Correctional Training Personnel
The International Association of Correctional Training Personnel (IACTP) is a criminal justice association that includes members of the training professions from national, state and local corrections agencies, community corrections, juvenile justice, higher education, academies and commissions, and private corrections. We expect attendance to be from 75-150 participants, with approximately 15-30 participants per workshop. The smaller […]
The conference will be returning this year to French Lick Springs Resort on September 5, 6, and 7, 2018 Find information for: Attendees Vendors The 2018 POPAI Fall Conference will be returning to the French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana, The fantastic hotel and conference facility provides the perfect setting for probation professionals to […]
Indiana Court Times
06/21/2018
Justin P. Forkner
“Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” —Hamilton: An American Musical, by Lin-Manuel Miranda Jane Seigel officially retired on April 30, after 19 years of service to the Indiana Supreme Court. To Lin-Manuel Miranda’s point, the garden of reforms, outcomes, and initiatives Jane has planted will […]
Journal Review
6/26/2018
Jim Johnson
There’s a significant need for transitional housing in Montgomery County for certain individuals in the criminal justice system. Montgomery Superior Court I Judge Heather Barajas and Chief Probation Officer Andria Geigle addressed county commissioners at the start of Monday’s meeting about the possibility of making such housing available here. “One of the biggest problems we […]
WTHR
6-18-18
INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – In a unanimous decision, the Indianapolis City-County council approved a plan to create the largest needle exchange program in the state. The vote comes nearly a month after Dr. Virginia Caine, Marion County’s public health director, declared a “public health emergency” over the increase in Hepatitis C cases, which they’re blaming on […]
13 WTHR
6/27/2018
KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) — The family of a central Indiana couple who died after a repeat drunk driver struck them in Seattle has settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the West Coast city for $13 million. The family of Dennis and Judy Schulte settled the lawsuit with Seattle in April after an appeals court denied […]
WTHR
6-20-18
The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Supreme Court says students must be told about their right to remain silent when questioned by police in a custody-type setting at school. The court ruled Wednesday in the case of a 13-year-old boy suspected of a bomb threat at an Indianapolis school. The court threw out the confession, saying […]
It’s time for the annual POPAI Elections. Up for election in 2018: President Secretary District 2 District 4 District 6 District 8 POPAI District 5 Representative Melanie Pitstick is serving as the Election Committee Chair. The Intent to Run form must be sent to Melanie by July 6, 2018 (postmarked, emailed, or faxed). The form […]
In Public Safety
6/8/2018
Leischen Stelter
Every year, it’s estimated that 650,000 offenders are released from the nation’s prisons, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. However, national recidivism rates remain high, with some studies finding that two-thirds of inmates are re-arrested. Upon release, many ex-prisoners are supervised by probation and parole officers (POs) who have an opportunity to help offenders make positive […]
Indiana Court Times
6/21/2018
Mary Kay Hudson
Part One of Three Introduction Since the Supreme Court adopted Criminal Rule (CR) 26 in September 2016, the Pretrial Committee, the Indiana Evidence Based Decision Making (EBDM) Policy Team, and the Indiana Office of Court Services (IOCS) have diligently worked with 11 counties to implement CR 26 and other evidence based pretrial practices. Here are […]
POPAI Members with a log in can see the April 2018 JRAC Meeting Minutes
Indiana Court Times
6/21/2018
Jane Seigel and Jenny Bauer
Adult and Juvenile Interstate Compacts How many times has an out-of-state offender appeared in your courtroom for sentencing? Do you know what to do if the out-of-state offender is to be sentenced for a felony? Consider the following example: an offender from Illinois appears in your Court for sentencing on a felony Operating a Vehicle […]
The Indiana Lawyer
06/06/2018
Katie Stancombe and Associated Press
Indiana leaders are questioning current state law that prevents juveniles from being charged as adults one day after a prosecutor said a 13-year-old Noblesville school shooting suspect would not be tried because of his age. House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said in a statement Wednesday lawmakers plan to review current state law concerning juveniles not […]
WLWT5
6/12/2018
Brian Hamrick
Dearborn County, Ind. — More than three dozen registered sex offenders in Dearborn County got a rude awakening as officers began knocking on doors not long after sunrise Tuesday. “We want to make sure, number one, that they’re following the rules, but two, that they’re not committing new offenses,” said Dearborn County Probation Officer Karrisa […]
The Indiana Lawyer
06/12/2018
Olivia Covington
An Indiana Court of Appeals ruling that reserved the right to demand a jury trial in misdemeanor cases to defendants has been upheld after the Indiana Supreme Court declined to hear the state’s challenge to that ruling. The Court of Appeals’ February decision in State of Indiana v. Latasha Bonds, 49A02-1704-CR-770, interpreted Indiana Rule of Criminal Procedure 22 […]
Insider Louisville
6/4/2018
Joe Sonka
A family drug court in southern Indiana has received a $2.1 million federal grant to expand its services, which could help reunite an estimated 175 families over the next five years. Judge Vicki Carmichael has run the Clark County Family Treatment Drug Court for seven years with only one county-paid employee, but the new five-year […]
POPAI provides a scholarship every year in memory of Probation Officer Donald “Charley” Knepple. Charley lost his life on April 28, 1997, while performing his probation officer duties in Allen County, Indiana. In an effort to honor an outstanding professional and to promote further professionalism, POPAI selected a scholarship that would encourage continued education and […]
The Marshall Project
4/26/18
Lawrence Bartley
“With my new lease on life, I still remember the one I took.” Soon, I will walk out of prison for the first time in 27 years. I’ve been preparing for this day for so long, I know exactly how it’ll go: My wife will pick me up at the gates of Sing Sing, and […]
Rand Corporation
by Dionne Barnes-Proby, Priscillia Hunt, Lisa Jonsson, Samantha Cherney
by Dionne Barnes-Proby, Priscillia Hunt, Lisa Jonsson, Samantha Cherney
This report is one component of a larger RAND project aimed at addressing income inequalities faced by workers with criminal records. Given the labor market challenges faced by people with criminal convictions, it can be challenging for probation agencies to help their clients find jobs, let alone earn living wages. This report summarizes findings from […]
My Wabash Valley
5-23-2018
Dana Winklepleck
View original article for video featuring Sullivan County CPO Barb Lance. Opioids are fueling a drug abuse crisis. The pills, aimed a treating pain, kill roughly two people everyday in Indiana. In fact, the latest figures show 66 percent of all drug overdose deaths in the United States are caused by opioids. The staggering problem […]
Chicago Tribune
6/5/18
Aprile Rickert
A former New Albany middle school administrator will serve jail time for voyeurism at school. Paul Raake, a former vice principal at Scribner Middle School, where he was employed for more than 40 years, has been sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty to a level 6 felony for voyeurism. Floyd County Circuit […]
Indiana Court Times
03/27/2018
Lisa Manning
Early this year, the founder of Miss Transgender America, Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien, was found dead in her home after being stabbed and beaten to death by her husband. In an interview with police, Mark Steele-Knudslien said he “snapped” after arguing with his wife. Intimate partner violence is as prevalent in the LGBTQ community as in […]
CNN
05/22/2018
John Legend and Rashad Robinson
(CNN) – No one should have to stay in jail because they lack the money to buy their freedom. Yet every night, according to the Justice Department’s statistics, nearly 450,000 people who have not been convicted of a crime sit in jail, a large number trapped there simply because they don’t have enough money to post bail. […]
TechCrunch
05/20/2018
Megan Rose Dickey
On any given day in the United States, more than 450,000 people are behind bars awaiting their constitutionally mandated fair trial. None of them have been convicted of a crime — they’ve been accused of committing a crime, but no formal ruling of guilt or innocence has been made. That means these hundreds of thousands […]
NBC News
05/08/2018
Jon Schuppe
Google and Facebook, the world’s most dominant online-advertising companies, will no longer take money from America’s for-profit bail bond agencies, siding with a growing national movement to eliminate cash bail from the criminal justice system. The two tech giants said this week that their decisions to block bail-bond ads were part of a broader effort to […]
Fox 59
5/21/2018
Tribune Media Wire
LINDEN, N.C. — Two men were arrested after more than $90 million worth of liquid methamphetamine was found in a semi-truck in North Carolina. WTVD reported that the truck was being driven by 49-year-old Raul Topete Arreola and 48-year-old Aquileo Perez Pineda. Each has been charged with three counts of trafficking meth. There was a […]
StateImpact Oklahoma
5/17/2018
Quinton Chandler
Baby Roman is just waking up from his afternoon nap and now he’s looking for a toy. His grandfather, Frank McCarrell, is trying to distract him from the house’s décor with a bottle of milk. “He don’t usually be asleep this time,” said McCarrell, who just finished his workday to babysit for his daughter. “When […]
The Indiana Lawyer
05/22/2018
IL Staff
An Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law professor is headed to Washington, D.C., to testify before the U.S. Senate about his work combatting the ongoing opioid crisis.
Daily Reporter
05/14/2018
The economic impact to Indiana from opioid misuse is more than $4 billion annually, or about $11 million a day, according to a study published by a Columbus professor and an Indiana University student. In Hancock County, the total cost over the 15-year study period — from 2003 to 2017 — was $500 million, the […]
The Indiana Lawyer
05/16/2018
Dave Stafford
A northern Indiana trial court’s contempt order against a man who violated a condition of bail was an abuse of discretion, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, reversing the order. Cameron Hunter was released on bail pending criminal charges against him before Kosciusko Superior Judge David C. Cates. At a plea hearing, Hunter sought […]
The Indiana Office of Court Services
5/17/2018
The 2019 Minimum Salary Schedule for Probation Officers is posted to the Indiana Office of Court Service’s website in the probation section (under Salary Materials). https://www.in.gov/judiciary/probation/2343.htm 2019 PO Salary Schedule
05/01/2018
There is tremendous local-level innovation occurring across the country aimed at reducing incarceration and making the criminal justice system more fair and effective at protecting communities. To support such innovative thinking nationwide, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has partnered with the Urban Institute to launch the Innovation Fund. The purpose of the Innovation Fund is to […]
The Indiana Lawyer
5/2/2018
Olivia Covington
Despite working on Indiana public defense reforms for 41 years, there are still goals Larry Landis wishes he could have accomplished before his impending retirement from the Indiana Public Defender Council. In a perfect world, Landis said his career would have led to more judicial sentencing discretion, a greater focus on mental health treatment, and […]
Public News Service
5/10/2018
Andrea Sears, Public News Service - PA
HARRISBURG, Pa. – A new report says reforming probation practices for juveniles could increase their chances for success. In the past 20 years, juvenile justice system reforms have led to far fewer young people being held in juvenile detention centers. But the report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation says little has changed in the […]
People
5/8/18
Jeff Truesdell
An Indiana woman has pleaded guilty and faces 30 years in prison for killing a young mother and then claiming the victim’s infant daughter as her own. Prosecutors said Geraldine R. Jones, 39, murdered 23-year-old Samantha Fleming, of Anderson, after posing as an employee of the Indiana Department of Child Services and arriving at Fleming’s […]
The Indiana Lawyer
5/11/2018
Dave Stafford
A settlement in a federal lawsuit ends a policy that prohibited Allen County Jail inmates from receiving visits from their children, among other agreed changes. Settlement terms of the class action Ronald Ward and Samuel Chinnis v. David Gladieux, in his official capacity as Allen County Sheriff, 1:16-cv-99, end a complaint brought on behalf of […]
05/09/2018
It’s time for the annual POPAI Elections. Up for election in 2018: President Secretary District 2 District 4 District 6 District 8 POPAI District 5 Representative Melanie Pitstick is serving as the Election Committee Chair. Intent to Run Form The Intent to Run form must be sent to Melanie by July 6, 2018 (postmarked, emailed, […]
Indiana University
04/26/2018
Indiana University
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — As the opioid crisis deepens across the country, researchers at Indiana University have released a series of research-driven, potential solutions. Their report is part of the university’s Responding to the Addictions Crisis Grand Challenge initiative. The researchers call for broader and more robust harm-reduction strategies, programs to reduce the stigma of substance use […]
HONORABLE KENNETH ROBERT SCHEIBENBERGER, 69, of Fort Wayne, passed away on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Born on Sunday, Jan. 16, 1949, in Fort Wayne, he was a son of Robert G. Scheibenberger, who survives, and the late Marilyn J. (Rouch) Scheibenberger. He was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. He was a proud […]
NBC News
4/18/2018
Jane C. Timm
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that he was granting conditional pardons to every parolee in the state — 35,000 — to restore their voting rights. Cuomo, facing a primary challenge from the left from actress and activist Cynthia Nixon, made an end-run around the state Legislature, where Republicans had stymied his effort. In […]
Marin Independent Journal
4/22/2018
Gary Klien
In Marin County’s drug court, failure is common and disastrous, while success is measured in relatively modest terms: steady employment, sobriety, abstinence from crime. Michael Fielding took the success concept to a higher level. He got himself admitted to law school on a full scholarship. Fielding, who graduated from the drug court program last week […]
WFYI Indianapolis
04/20/2018
Barbara Brosher
The Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments Friday in a case that raises questions about what avenues juveniles have for seeking relief if they think their cases weren’t handled properly. The case illustrates larger challenges with Indiana’s juvenile justice system, because kids don’t have the same avenues for relief as adults in the criminal justice system. […]
POPAI Jobs Page
4/24/2018
DeKalb County is seeking a Chief Probation Officer. Find full details on our jobs page or in this document.
Each county should select a team lead judge to designate team members and complete this nomination form by May 4 to send a judicial officer, prosecutor, public defender, law enforcement officer, probation officer, Department of Child Services representative, and medication assisted treatment provider to the Summit. See this updated flyer for more information. (Flyer updated July […]
WISH-TV
04/24/2018
Eric Feldman
KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — Some veterans in trouble with the law will have the chance to avoid jail time by participating in a new program to help steer their lives in the right direction. It’s called veterans court. It’s already being done in several places around the state, including Marion and Hamilton counties, but a […]
based on an email from Kristen Banschbach
April 12, 2018
Karen Oeding
Newest Team Members Lauren Moore, Southeast Program Director Lauren began with IDOC in August 2015 as an intern with PEN Industries. After finishing her Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Public Safety at IUPUI in December 2015, she worked as a program director with PEN for 2 years.
Officer Down Memorial Page
Probation Officer Donald Knepple was shot and killed after being ambushed by a man at a counseling center on South Calhoun Street in Fort Wayne. The suspect, a former juvenile corrections officer who had been convicted of attempted child molestation, had arranged a meeting with his counselor and Probation Officer Knepple with the intent of […]
IOCS has developed an Administrative 9 Benchcard that can provide some quick answers to questions about this complicated rule. Contact Jeff Wiese for questions.
SAMHSA
4/5/2018
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched an Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center (Resource Center) that aims to provide communities, clinicians, policy-makers and others in the field with the information and tools they need to incorporate evidence-based practices into their communities or clinical settings. The Resource Center, at www.samhsa.gov/ebp-resource-center, contains a collection […]
SAMHSA
4/2/2018
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for its Assertive Community Treatment grants. The grants will be used to improve behavioral health outcomes by reducing the rates of hospitalization and death for people with a serious mental illness (SMI). SAMHSA expects that the program will also reduce the rates of […]
The Indiana Lawyer
4/16/2018
Marilyn Odendahl
Retired Marion Superior Court Judge Patricia Gifford, the sixth woman to sit as a trial judge in the state of Indiana and one of the first women in the country to be assigned to prosecute only sex offense cases, died April 8 in Fort Meyers Beach, Florida. She was 79.
The Journal Gazette
4/8/2018
Washington Post
Indiana among 18 states to ban it as concerns rise As part of a routine drug test, Adam Randall handed a vial of yellow liquid to a probation officer. Although it looked like a urine sample from the 31-year-old – who was required to submit to testing after a previous conviction – authorities in Queensbury, […]
The Switzerland Democrat
Though a cooperative effort from entities here in Switzerland County and the area, a program that helps people who are incarcerated get their high school equivalency diplomas. Switzerland County Probation Officer Jeff Theetge says that the county is working in conjunction with River Valley Resources to provide the program. “We have been working with River […]
The Indiana Lawyer
April 9, 2018
Olivia Covington
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the adjudication of a New Jersey child as a child in need of services after finding the child’s mother waived her argument that an Indiana trial court lacked personal jurisdiction over her and her child. After she was dispatched to a Marion County bus station on a report […]
The Indiana Lawyer
4/12/2018
Olivia Covington
A Tippecanoe County man convicted of incest with his teenage niece will have one of his probation conditions revisited after the Indiana Supreme Court determined the condition requiring him to get permission to access the internet was not reasonably related to his crime. In Kristopher L. Weida v. State of Indiana, 79S02-1711-CR-687, 34-year-old Kristopher Weida […]
Chicago Tribune
3/30/2018
Kate Thayer
State and local health officials have issued a warning about a synthetic pot in Illinois that has caused users to experience severe bleeding. On Friday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that 32 people in the past few weeks visited emergency rooms with severe bleeding after using a synthetic cannabinoid product. That’s up from […]
Northwest Times
4/2/18
Dan Carden
INDIANAPOLIS — Criminal defendants who post a cash bond to be released from jail before trial might not get that money back — even when they show up for trial — if a creditor of any kind obtains a civil court order to garnish the bond. In a case of first impression, the Indiana Supreme […]
IN.gov Newsletter
Save the Date Statewide Opioid Seminar on MAT Training will be held on July 25, 2018 at the Indiana Convention Center. Every county should send a multi-disciplinary team. Details in a PDF document.
3/28/2018
Court Services
Civil Administration of overdose intervention drugs (S.E.A. 13, P.L. 4) Civil forfeiture (S.E.A. 99, P.L. 47) Scleral tattooing (S.E.A. 158, P.L. 50) Uniform business organizations (S.E.A. 180, P.L. 52) Emotional support animals (S.E.A. 240, P.L. 162) Order to repair tax sale property (S.E.A. 296, P.L. 99) Regulation of abortion and newborn safety devices (S.E.A. 340, […]
Pal-Item Part of the USA Today Network
3/19/2018
Mike Emery
WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. — Teenagers are indeed different from adults. They think differently. Their emotions drive them differently. They act differently. Therefore, it makes sense to treat them differently than adults. Three Teaching the Teen Brain training sessions this month taught this to Wayne County educators and education administrators. Sponsored by the Wayne County Probation […]
Indiana Lawyer
03/20/2018
Olivia Covington
The Vigo Superior Court must provide a man convicted of resisting and spitting on local law enforcement officers with a written list of his specific probation conditions after the Indiana Court of Appeals found discrepancies and vagueness in the conditions provided. In Dustin McCarty v. State of Indiana, 84A04-1707-CR-1599, a Terre Haute police officer encountered Dustin […]
Indianapolis Star
03/16/2018
Shari Rudavsky
Linking people with substance use disorders to the treatment they need to kick their addiction has just become easier in Indiana. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Thursday announced a new partnership with a software platform that can help social workers find openings at treatment facilities. The partnership, funded by money from the 21st Century Cures […]
Court Services
3-28-18
March 28, 2018 by Court Services S.E.A. 13, P.L. 4 Effective: July 1, 2018 Provides that community corrections officers and probation officers may administer an overdose intervention drug. Requires community corrections officers and probation officers to report the use of an overdose intervention drug to the emergency ambulance service responsible for reporting the use to […]
To: Circuit, Superior, and Probate Courts, City and Town Courts, Marion County Small Claims Courts From: Jeffrey S. Wiese, Deputy Director of Legal Support Date: March 14, 2018 New Procedure for Courts with Late Quarterly or Annual Statistical Reports Ind. Administrative Rule 1 and Ind. Administrative Rule 2 require courts and probation departments to file […]
The Justice Services Conference will be held May 9-11, 2018. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis, IN 46225, at a group rate of $119/night. This conference is open to probation officers and their supervising judge, court alcohol and drug program judges, program directors, program staff and education facilitators […]
New York Times
03/21/2018
Amy Bach
Criminal justice data in this country is hard to come by. It can be messy and difficult to understand. And in many cases, the data doesn’t exist at all. How many people are in jail? For what crimes? For how long? Are people in jail mostly awaiting trial? Are they there for being unable to […]
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE SPRING CONFERENCE! WHEN: Friday, April 13, 2018 WHERE: The Hornet Park Community Center in Beech Grove, IN WHO: Special guest featuring Patty Wetterling! Patty is the mother of Jacob Wetterling, who was abducted at the age of 11, by a masked gunman on October 22, 1989 near his home […]
Governing: the States and Localities
3/13/2018
J.B. Wogan
As homelessness rises nationwide, Las Vegas is taking a gamble on a new way of helping the homeless. But some say it’s money that could be better spent. On a single night in January last year, almost 6,500 people were counted as homeless in Clark County, Nev., and about 67 percent of them were sleeping […]
Kokomo Tribune
03/16/2018
Scott L. Miley
INDIANAPOLIS — A Madison County woman who claimed that some of the illegal drugs found in her system were from an uncle’s tooth cream had her probation violation upheld Friday by the Indiana Court of Appeals. Ashlee K. Pierce, 34, of Alexandria had appealed her two-year sentence for probation violation from Madison Circuit Court. The […]
Banner Graphic
03/05/2018
JARED JERNAGAN
When a co-worker at Putnam County Adult Probation spoke about a problem one of her clients was facing recently, case manager Kelli Stevens had the seed of an idea. Probation officer Malachi Taylor was meeting with a client, speaking with her about the need for a job in order to move forward for both the […]
The Indiana Lawyer
March 16, 2018
Olivia Covington
A Madison County man who alleged the state challenged a potential juror for race-based reasons has lost his appeal, with the Indiana Court of Appeals finding the record of the robbery trial does not support the argument that the juror was released because he was black. In Steven Wade Childress v. State of Indiana, 48A02-1707-CR-1658, Steven […]
Submit your application to be considered for the Donald “Charley” Knepple Scholarship Award. The winner will be announced at the 2018 Annual Indiana Probation Officers Conference in May. The qualified candidate chosen for the Scholarship Award will be awarded $2,500.00 to help pay for their costs in continuing his or her education pursing a Masters […]
I’ve posted the most recent report from The LegisGroup in the Members Only area (log in required). It includes those bills you’ve been watching that remained alive into the second half of the session. With that report, you can see the point in the process at which any now-bills died. Problems logging in? Just email […]
Evansville Courier and Press
03/07/2018
Jon Webb
So many people were vomiting, and emergency responders didn’t know why. Eight people between Second and Third avenues in Evansville were found sick, unconscious or a mix of the two last Thursday. Fearing some kind of mass overdose, the Evansville Fire Department administered Narcan, but it didn’t work. After speaking to the victims, police and […]
Fox 59 News
3/7/18
SEYMOUR, Ind. – Two people were arrested after police say a man was stabbed while “playing a game” on a MegaBus traveling through Indiana. Officers with the Seymour Police Department and Indiana State Police troopers responded to a stabbing report around 6 a.m. on Tuesday. According to investigators, the stabbing occurred while the bus was […]
2018 POPAI Management Training includes training for CPOs, Assistant CPOs and supervisory level staff. These trainings are specifically for those who are in supervisory level positions. More details including a link for full information, registration, and easy online payment. Vendors welcome on April 13, more information.
Indiana Courts
3/2/2018
Court Services
The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law heard HB 1214 sponsored by Sen. Young on CBD oil and industrial hemp. The bill repeals all provisions concerning the cannabidiol registry and a “substance containing cannabidiol” (all added by HEA 1148-2017) and legalizes CBD oil, repeals superseded provisions relating to cannabidiol registration, and establishes that there is sufficient […]
Justice Clearinghouse
2/1/2018
Christina McCale
Domestic Violence offenders require a different approach to supervising them. Cunning and often manipulative, they can be among the most challenging of probationers to supervise. Join us March 22, as Sara Mahoney returns to discuss: the tactics/characteristics of a DV Offender and a victim how these characteristics impact the ongoing supervision of the offender, the advantage […]
Fox 43
2/22/2018
Newsroom
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa.– Over 96 percent of DUI offenders in Lancaster wearing alcohol-detection devices are avoiding alcohol, according to recently-released data. In 2017, 745 people on bail conditions or probation/parole in Lancaster County wore a SCRAM device under the county’s DUI repeat offender program. Only 25 people violated the conditions by having a drink, according […]
SAMHSA
2/15/2018
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is publishing guidance today to help broaden healthcare professionals’ understanding of medications that can be used to treat Americans with opioid use disorder (OUD). “We know that people can and do recover from opioid use disorders when they receive appropriate treatment, and medication-assisted treatment’s success in […]
The Indiana Lawyer
2/21/2018
Marilyn Odendahl
Marion County will start its new judicial selection process next month with the interviews of 17 judges who want to stand for retention in the November 2018 elections. Three other judges — Democrats Thomas Carroll and Rebekah Pierson-Treacy and Republican Michael Keele — have decided to retire at the end of this year. The interviews […]
National Institute of Corrections
Probation is a prison sentence that is suspended on the condition that the offender follow certain prescribed rules and commit no further crimes. Today, probation is a federal, state, and local activity administered by more than 2,000 separate agenices, with nearly 4 million adult offenders under supervision. (Seiter 2014) Parole, both a procedure by which […]
The Indiana Department of Correction has released it’s 2018 schedule. Check out these PDF documents for information: IDOC Community Corrections Division Course Descriptions January – June 2018 IDOC Community Corrections Division Training Calendar For more information or to register, look on SharePoint, contact your Regional Representative or Director Shannon Bowling at sbowling@idoc.in.gov For a bit […]
TedEx
2/16/2017
Judge Reynolds is a district court judge for the 1st District Court Lewis and Clark County Montana. He has been on the bench since 2010. In this position, Judge Reynolds presides over the First Judicial District Treatment Court. Prior to his election as judge, Judge Reynolds was a partner in the Helena law firm of […]
The Daily Advocate
01/29/2018
Carolyn Harmon
GREENVILLE — The Darke County Adult Probation Department’s Chief Probation Officer James D. Mollette said, it is important that people working community service have buy-in. “We try to instill in them that they are paying it forward in a sense, and helping the community,” he said. “It doesn’t always work; but we try.” According to […]
Indiana Office of Court Services
Details on court operations at the county and appellate level for 2016 are available in the Indiana Judicial Service Report and the Indiana Probation Report. 2016 Indiana Probation Report Summary of 2016 Caseload Data The probation caseload information presented in this report was reported to the IOCS on a quarterly basis. It reflects the number […]
02/16/2018
We currently have seven jobs posted on the POPAI website. Positions are open in Ripley, Monroe, Lawrence, Jasper, Madison, Huntington, and Wayne Counties. The Indiana Association of Community Corrections Act Counties also has jobs posted on their website: IACCAC Jobs. Please check out the job postings!
Herald Times
2/17/2018
Laura Lane and Abby Tonsing
Local detox center’s charges for urine tests much higher than probation department’s Urine goes by another name in South Florida. It’s called “liquid gold,” the essence of a billion-dollar industry that’s making people rich. That sea of gold has trickled its way to southern Indiana, where an addiction treatment facility wants to open a detox […]
Karen Oeding
In December, we sent out Department Invoices since so many POPAI Members renew their memberships together. Individuals who aren’t paying with your department and are due for 2018 can either send a check in or use the convenience of paying online with our Membership Application Page and PayPal. Simply click the “Renewal” button, then fill […]
National Institute of Correction
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) announced the final publication of the much anticipated Evidence Based Decision Making (EBDM) series of documents. They are available now in the NIC library. Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) Primer This primer was developed to introduce criminal justice and allied professionals to evidence-based decision making. The Primer can be found […]
Indiana University
02/05/2018
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University School of Nursing Dean and Distinguished Professor Robin Newhouse has announced the Phase One projects of the Responding to the Addictions Crisis Grand Challenges initiative. As part of IU’s $50 million commitment to prevent, reduce and treat addictions in Indiana, initial pilot grants feature collaborative teams of faculty members, researchers, community organizations […]
Evansville Courier and Press
2/5/2018
Jessica Fehrenbacher, Special to the Courier & Press
Our current world allows us many opportunities to showcase ourselves and our accomplishments. Social media has made it possible to share aspects of our lives that just years ago would have never been brought to light. As a youth worker (and a parent), we want young people to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas about […]
Fox News
2/6/18
Update 2/12/18: Alicia has been found safe. LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Lafayette Police Department is asking for the public’s help with locating a missing woman. Alicia Casillas-Faulkner was last seen in the area of Cambridge Estate Apartments in the 3600 block of St Rd 38 E, during the morning of Monday January 29. She is […]
Kokomo Perspective
January 29, 2018
Devin Zimmerman
Probation, corrections merger hoped to help with caseload overload Big changes are in the works for the local judicial system. Last week the Howard County Community Corrections Advisory Board unanimously approved an agreement aimed at merging the local probation and community corrections department. With the probation department bogged down by high caseloads, officials hope the […]
CNBC.com
1-17-18
Walmart will offer a drug disposal product — for free — to pharmacy customers as part of an effort to combat the nation’s opioid abuse epidemic, the retail giant said Wednesday. The product, a powder called DisposeRX, is meant to be used by customers who no longer need their prescription painkillers or are concerned that […]
Kokomo Tribune
January 25, 2018
George Myers
The Howard County work release center has accepted its first two inmates, bringing an end to months of anticipation and speculation about the much-debated program. The center, housed in the former county jail on Berkley Road, received its first inmate Wednesday and its second Thursday, and has already displayed, in a small way, the effect […]
Deseret News
12/17/2017
Gillian Friedman
Editor’s note: The illicit drug trade is undergoing a seismic shift, with Utah in the middle of the deadly impact of opioids. This is another in an ongoing series of stories about this modern-day plague. SALT LAKE CITY — In November, when President Trump’s bipartisan commission on the opioid crisis issued its report, it recommended […]
Indiana Lawyer
1/26/2018
Rob Burgess
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday extended the moratorium on seizures of CBD oil from retailers’ shelves — as well Indiana State Excise Police’s education period on products derived from cannabis — while lawmakers consider bills regulating those products. “I said back in November that I was open to extending the education period on CBD oil […]
Greenfield County Reporter
1-25-2018
Samm Quinn
GREENFIELD — Area residents packed the county courthouse annex Wednesday to hear from candidates in one of the most hotly contested races this election season. The Hancock County Young Republicans conducted a special forum Wednesday night, inviting the public to hear from the Republican candidates running in May’s primary for sheriff. No Democrats have announced […]
Indy Star
1/8/2018
Ryan Martin
Noblesville was among several Indiana cities and counties to legally confront opioid companies this week, joining the likes of Indianapolis, Bloomington, Lafayette and others that already have filed lawsuits or announced intentions to do so. The rush of new suits came from Greenwood, Fort Wayne, Muncie, Kokomo, Terre Haute, Atlanta, Jennings County and Vigo County. But the […]
Legislative Update Published by the Indiana Office of Court Services
1/12/2018
Court Services
The Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard HB 1034 authored by Rep. Lehman on home detention matters. The bill eliminates the requirement that a period of home detention ordered as a condition of probation must be at least 60 days. Adds to the list of activities that a home detention offender may engage in outside […]
The Washington Post via MSN News
12/17/2017
Leonard Bernstein, Scott Higham
After two years of painstaking investigation, David Schiller and the rest of the Drug Enforcement Administration team he supervised were ready to move on the biggest opioid distribution case in U.S. history. The team, based out of the DEA’s Denver field division, had been examining the operations of the nation’s largest drug company, McKesson Corp. […]
Journal & Carrier
01/06/2018
Dave Bangert
LAFAYETTE, Ind. – By all accounts, it was just a normal day Wednesday in the fourth-floor courtroom of Tippecanoe Superior 3, where the county’s child neglect cases are heard. Sixty miles to the south, Indiana House and Senate leaders were gaveling in the 2018 General Assembly session Wednesday afternoon with a vow that they weren’t […]
TheIndianaLawyer.com
01-09-18
Olivia Covington
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a man’s battery conviction and probationary prohibition on possession of a firearm, finding the trial court did not err in the process of hearing testimony and imposing a sentence. In Robert Wilder v. State of Indiana, 49A02-1706-CR-1420, Robert Wilder operated a food truck next to an Indianapolis restaurant […]
The POPAI Board meets monthly. All meetings are listed on the Meeting Minutes Page. The most recent January 2018 Meeting has been published.
courts.in.gov
1/10/2018
(Article link includes full video) Introduction Governor Holcomb, Lt. Governor Crouch, Members of the General Assembly, State leaders, and Judges, welcome to the 2018 State of the Judiciary. Today I fulfill my constitutional responsibility of reporting on Indiana’s judiciary, which I am pleased to say is renewed, respected, and resolved. In a word, strong. Let’s […]
The Indiana Lawyer
1/11/2018
Olivia Covington
A divided panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered a trial court to reconsider a sentence modification for an offender who agreed to a fixed-sentence plea agreement, a ruling that goes against proposed legislation currently pending before an Indiana Senate committee. However, in his first writing as an appellate senior judge, former Indiana […]
The Indy Star
1/5/2018
Mark Alesia
An Indiana Senate bill filed Friday would allow the state’s riverboats, racinos and their satellite facilities to offer legal sports betting if federal prohibitions are lifted. SB 405, introduced by Sen. Jon Ford, R-Terre Haute, follows similar bills or laws in at least 10 other states. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on […]
Kokomo Tribune
12/13/2017
Cody Neuenschwander
KOKOMO – Tyler Sparger knows exactly where he would be today if he never beat his addiction – in fact he didn’t even need to wait for the entire question to be asked. “Dead,” was his fast, blunt response. Sparger has been clean since around April 2016, and has a dream of becoming an attorney. […]
Herald Times
12/17/2017
Laura Lane
Forty-eight people died in Monroe County from accidental heroin and opioid overdoses in the past two and a half years. Thirty-five happened over two years. Sixteen in 2015. Nineteen in 2016. During the first six months of 2017, opioid overdoses claimed the lives of another 13 people in Monroe County. And more have died since. […]
The Indy Star
12/27/17
Ryan Martin
A drunken-driving arrest involving human organ samples. A shooting victim who called Uber. An underwear thief. Crimes are rarely a laughing matter. Occasionally, though, they’re unusual. Here are five that were particularly memorable from the past year. BRAINS, LIVERS AND VODKA In September police made a drunken-driving arrest in Morgan County after a witness said a Nissan Titan was […]