Cobb Juvenile Court Offers New Class To Help Juvenile Offenders

From Cobb County:Cobb Juvenile Court Judge Wayne E. Grannis recently kicked off a new conflict resolution class in his courtroom designed to help juvenile offenders learn how to effectively handle conflict. The class helps youth identify warning signs leading up to conflict and how to effectively resolve it without resorting to violence.“Conflict resolution is an invaluable skill we as adults use in our daily lives," Judge Grannis said. "This kind of training will be an important tool these children can use to resolve conflict without resorting to physical confrontations. These tools will assist juvenile offenders in their rehabilitation and help them to become productive members of our community.”The three-hour class is now a mandatory part of the Diversion Program in Cobb Juvenile Court, a program where offenders avoid being placed into custody or going before a judge and are given alternative sanctions for their offenses. Juvenile attendees of the class are charged with misdemeanor crimes ranging from fighting and simple battery, to carrying weapons at school.

The cost to participate is $35 and it is taught by licensed therapists contracted by the court.Heading up the new conflict resolution class is Cobb Juvenile Diversion Coordinator Bridget Jones, who sought assistance from newly-appointed Judge Grannis after noticing an increasing number of juveniles facing misdemeanor charges who might have been able to avoid the charges had they possessed the skills to handle conflict.“Many juveniles placed in our program lack the necessary insurance to seek these types of therapeutic services on their own," Jones said. "The class offers juveniles and their families a solution to the problem, which also leads to reduced recidivism and savings to our local taxpayers.”Cobb County Juvenile Court is an independent juvenile court organized under Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia. The court is dedicated to serving the residents of Cobb County by hearing all cases involving allegations of dependency of children under the age of 18, or unruly conduct, delinquency or traffic violations concerning children under the age of 17 found within its jurisdictions.

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