Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Fort Lauderdale launches Florida’s first homeless community court
The first community court in Florida launched in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday morning, an effort to break the endless cycle of homeless people from streets to courts to jail. With Chief Broward Circuit Judge Jack Tuter presiding, a short lineup of homeless people who were cited for petty crimes were connected with help. Tuter said he hopes the new court alternative will help get homeless people on their feet, to help resolve addictions, obtain official IDs in order to get housing or jobs, and to stay out of jail.
“It seemed a revolving door,” said Tuter, who studied other community courts in the country to form this one. Jailing an inmate costs the public $140 a day, he said, and it’s “really inexcusable” to jail people for 20 or 30 days for minor violations. Community court will be staged in Fort Lauderdale City Hall, an easy walk for homeless people who orbit around the downtown.
One of 70 such courts in the nation, the new Broward com-
munity court represents a significant shift in how the homeless are handled. Recently, a persistent downtown encampment was disbanded, and city and county officials, teaming up with private donors and nonprofits, helped find housing for those living in tents. Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson sat in the front row, after accepting Tuter’s invitation to watch it unfold.
“This is an exciting innovation that will make a difference in this community,” Lawson said before court started. “It could be a model for other communities as well.”
The first defendant: Tommy Righetti, who turns 50 later this month but admitted he’s wasting his life and killing himself living on the streets and drinking too much. He’d been cited for having an open container of alcohol on Broward Boulevard.
Righetti was visibly shaking and said he needed to detox from alcohol. He coughed and gagged, and cried. Tuter said he’d send Righetti to “the most gorgeous center I’ve ever seen since I’ve been in Broward County,” the county’s new addiction recovery center in southwest Fort Lauderdale. “In a few months, I want you to stand at that door and tell others who come in to community court what to expect and how they can improve their lives,” he said. Moments later, Righetti expressed doubt he could do what’s expected of him. He started crying again.
“You’re going to be able to do this,” Tuter told him. “I don’t want to hear you say you can’t.”
“I’m scared, I am,” Righetti said. “I’m scared.”
“Look around this room,” Broward County Judge Florence Taylor Barner said. “You ever hear where it takes a village? It takes a village to help someone. This is your village. Come on, we got you.”
“I need someone to hold my hand,” Righetti responded. “I can’t do it myself. I’m only so strong.”
Righetti said he wanted to go to school one day to be a chef, and open a restaurant. “You’ve got to be willing to help yourself. you’ve got to be dedicated to it, and you’ve got to stick with it,” Tuter said, advising him that when he’s stable, he’d have to complete community service. Righetti said he would, even though “it’s embarrassing.”
Justice Lawson helped Righetti out the door and went with him in the police car to the county’s addiction recovery center. When they arrived, there was no bed for Righetti. Back at City Hall, Tuter and Broward Commissioner Dale Holness made phone calls to make sure Righetti could be checked in.
“This is powerful,” Holness told Tuter afterwards, emphasizing the importance of services and housing. Community court will be held in City Hall each Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Judges Tuter or Barner presiding. Representatives of social service agencies will be on hand. Homeless people cited for misdemeanors like public drinking and trespassing, and who have no convictions for violence, will be eligible. Instead of going to jail, the participant will be connected with services, and required to do community service work. A $200,000 federal grant pays for the program. That includes funding to help people obtain official IDs. Without identification, homeless people cannot get housing, food stamps or jobs. Righetti said his was stolen.
Once a month, the Department of Motor Vehicles will bring a mobile unit to help people obtain IDs, Tuter said. A mobile showering nonprofit also will come, offering a shower and change of clothes, Barner said. Free haircuts might also be provided at times, she said. Both judges said they’d accept walk-ins — homeless people who don’t have active court cases but want help.
“The courthouse is part of the village” Barner said. “We’re getting off our butts and into the community.”