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January 21, 2022
Greg Snowden, Director of the Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) outlined budget needs on Wednesday, Jan. 19, in presentations to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Sollie Norwood of Jackson, and the House Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Angela Cockerham of Magnolia at the Capitol. He requested funding for the 2023 fiscal year for intervention and youth courts, funding for parent representation, and all other operations of the state of Mississippi’s court system. Seventy-six percent of the request goes to local communities, Snowden told the Appropriations Subcommittees.
Intervention courts accounted for $23 million in savings in incarceration costs during the first five months of the 2022 fiscal year, and the annual savings is expected to reach $55 million. Incarceration savings during the past 10 years exceed $586 million, a half billion dollar benefit to the citizens of the state of Mississippi. Participants receive help, under court supervision, to lead productive lives rather than costing taxpayers to spend time in prison.
Chairman Cockerham praised the work of intervention courts, saying they are instrumental to the judiciary. Chairman Cockerham also commended the Supreme Court for its work to keep the courts open during the pandemic.
The AOC requested funding to expand parent representation into additional youth courts. The money will provide attorneys to represent indigent parents in youth courts. Snowden told the Senate subcommittee, “It’s critical that they have representation for basic fairness.”
Casey Family Programs began the move for parent representation in 2012 by funding attorneys to represent indigent parents in three pilot counties. Now more than 30 counties provide some level of parent representation. A few have local funding. The majority of those are funded by legislative appropriations, grants from Casey Family Programs and a Federal Court Improvement Basic Grant.
Snowden asked the Legislature to create four new positions for the AOC, including a language access coordinator, a cyber security specialist, a research statistician and a grant officer. “A language access coordinator is critical,” and is required by federal law, Snowden said, noting the need for a position dedicated to dealing with the demand for language interpreters in court proceedings.
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