State Grants Juvenile Court Money To Decrease Delinquency

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The state is giving Bibb County Juvenile Court nearly $400,000 to reform the juvenile system, and create better programs for young re-offenders heading back to the community.

Bibb County Chairman Sam Hart made the announcement this afternoon saying the court is planning to use the grant to start up therapeutic programs for at-risk youth, and help rehabilitate their families.

The eleven month pilot program targets 14 to 16 year-olds with the goal of preventing future growth in the juvenile detention center.

Hart says the launch is a great start for the community, and is expected to impact more than 50 families who need this form of intervention.

Bibb County Juvenile Chief Judge, Thomas Matthews, says they are not going into this project blindly.

“What we’re trying to do is implement some programs that have already been shown in other jurisdiction to work. They’re called evidence based programs. They are not just a shot in the dark,” Matthews says.

Members of the court begin interviewing potential partners to assist with the launch, and continuation of the invention program on Monday.

The program is set to start on October 15th and run through June 30th.