From left, Attorney Antony Garza and Judge Michael Reed, are members of the Executive Committee of the Kosciusko County Community Corrections Advisory Board. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

WARSAW —  Kosciusko County’s Community Corrections Department has suspended all new “hook-ups” for up to 30 days for offenders entering programs that rely on monitoring bracelets.

The decision was made during a special meeting held by the Executive Committee of the Kosciusko County Community Corrections Advisory Board on Thursday, Dec. 12, which was called to discuss personnel and policy matters.

The meeting was held following the resignation of Community Corrections Director Anna Bailey last month. Bailey served as the director of Kosciusko County Community Corrections for nearly three years, having been named as the director in February 2017. She previously served as an officer within Community Corrections. 

Barry Andrew, who served as the original Community Corrections director before leaving in April 2016, has been named interim director. 

The use of monitoring bracelets is a big part of community corrections’ home detention program and oversight of juvenile delinquents.

Bailey’s name did not come up at Thursday’s public meeting and a reason for her departure has not been disclosed.

Bailey’s resignation comes just weeks after a former Kosciusko County Community Corrections officer received a suspended sentence after removing a woman’s ankle bracelet and having sex with her in 2017.

Thursday’s meeting lasted about 20 minutes and officials did not open the floor for questions.

“The program is at a point in time where it would be beneficial — in the things that we have found and discovered since our last meeting … that we look at pushing the pause button and re-evaluating some things,” Andrew told the committee Thursday.

Community Corrections Interim Director Barry Andrew

Andrew said it would be in the best interest of the program if they take the time to rebuild and solidify in order to move forward in a positive direction. 

“There are a lot of things that we’ve discovered over time that probably weren’t being done the best that they could be,” Andrew said.

“For the benefit of the program currently, for the benefit of the program in the future and for the benefit of the staff, I think it would be beneficial for the executive committee to consider some kind of option of suspending all new hook-ups for potentially 30 days so that we can get the program back on track and correct the things that need to be corrected.” 

Andrew said the department can continue to monitor the program’s current offenders with the staff they currently have available. 

“There are a lot of things that need to be looked at and addressed so that any new people we put on the program can be evaluated and vetted and assessed in a proper manner to ensure that the correct population of folks are being placed on detention,” said Andrew.

The committee includes Judge Michael Reed, who serves as Chairman of Kosciusko County Community Corrections Advisory Board, Judge David Cates, Judge Torrey J. Bauer, Attorney Antony Garza and Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton.

Judge Cates then brought up the possibility of a scenario where the courts might determine a situation to be significant for someone to be placed in the Community Corrections Program, specifically a juvenile, and asked if that could that be accommodated if necessary.

“If necessary, Your Honor, we would accommodate the courts to the best of our ability with what we currently have,” Andrew replied.

Andrew clarified this program’s suspension also incudes offenders transferred from outside counties.

“So it would be for all new hook-ups, period, and that would include internal and external transfers,” Hampton confirmed.

“We’ll show that that’s the consensus of the committee,” Reed said, following a motion and a second. “No new hook-ups for 30 days, internal or external, until we revisit the issue.”

KCCC currently employs one full-time drug court case manager and three full-time home detention officers. Andrew said there are between 123-125 people serving their sentences through KCCC.

“We’re very thankful for the team effort within the building, and the part-time staff member that has been provided for us is working out amazingly,” Andrew said.