By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - As Restorative Community Service Coordinator (RCSC) for BRC (Building Restorative Communities), Ken Schutter will be trying to save youthful offenders by providing them opportunities to serve their communities.
If that seems a leap from the embroidery business at Mr. K's Wearhouse or directing bands in Dowagiac, Niles and Cassopolis, there are some lesser-known lines to his resume.
For a couple of years he worked with Judge Susan L. Dobrich as a CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) volunteer. He also has three years experience with the Sheriff's Office Marine Division.
Community service opportunities is one of four planks in the second year of BRC's five-year strategic plan.
Cass County is one of five implementing such a grant-funded plan, along with Ottawa, Monroe, Washtenaw and Kalamazoo.
Access to a variety of social and recreational activities, mentoring and graduated sanctions to impose immediate consequences to offenders are the other three goals.
Volunteer workgroups will be having their initial meetings at lunchtime this week.
The community service component will be piloted by five students, with the aim of having at least one from each of the four Cass County school districts, according to BRC Coordinator Carmen Szumski, a retired Family Independence Agency (FIA) social worker who joined BRC in September 2003.
BRC is designed to improve how the local juvenile justice system functions.
All youth placed on probation for drug, alcohol and/or violence-related issues will be referred for the community service program by their probation officers.
When possible, youth will earn money toward restitution for victims.
Szumski said Schutter will be conducting risk assessments on kids referred to him by probation officers.
Law enforcement will keep a log of youths they divert. Officers, when they apprehend a youth, will have the authority to divert rather than to arrest.
A 1995 study of eight mentoring programs found that mentored youth were less likely to engage in violence and drug use and were more likely to attend school.
www.casscountybrc.org