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| Kosciusko County
Prosecutor
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R. Steven Hearn
121 North Lake Street
Warsaw IN 46580
(574) 372-2419
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The office of the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney employs 18 people, including attorneys and support staff. In 2002, approximately 7,602 infractions, 2,779 misdemeanors, 568 felony cases, and 392 juvenile cases were filed and disposed through this office.
The goals of the Office of the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney are to work closely and cooperatively with local law enforcement entities to serve and protect the rights of the citizens of Kosciusko County; to diligently and consistently prosecute violent and non-violent criminals; and to provide compassionate representation for victims of violent crimes, particularly children, the elderly, and others who are not able to protect themselves.
Our Victim Advocate Program served over 400 victims in 2002. Among these were victims of domestic violence, child physical and sexual abuse, sexual assault, homicide, robbery, alcohol-related accidents, and many other violent crimes. The program’s goal is to ensure victims of crime the rights and resources available to them throughout their experience with the criminal justice system.
Our office also works diligently and actively to ensure the enforcement of court-ordered child support through the Title IV-D Child Support Program. Child support services offered through the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office include locating absent parents, establishing paternity, establishing and enforcing support orders and medical support orders, collecting current and past-due support payments, and reviewing/adjusting of current support orders. In 2002, $5,998,475 in child support dollars were collected. Currently, we have 3,034 active child support cases. Also, the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office filed paternity petitions in 127 cases in 2002. Tools available to us for enforcement include withholding support payments from paychecks, interception of federal and state tax refunds and lottery winnings, reporting unpaid child support to credit bureaus, placing liens on vehicles, and suspension of driver’s and professional licenses of absent parents who owe child support.
Our office’s Bad Check Program offers retail establishments assistance in the collection of Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) checks. In 2002, $206,278.32 in NSF checks and fees was collected by our office on behalf of businesses in Kosciusko County.
The Kosciusko County Juvenile Division of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, spearheaded by Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Daniel H. Hampton, reviews incident reports involving juveniles (persons under the age of eighteen). After a report is reviewed, a recommendation is made to the Probation Department-Juvenile Division as to whether they should conduct a preliminary inquiry (a formal meeting where the parents and the minor meet with the Probation Officer) for further investigation. After the preliminary inquiry, the probation officer returns a recommendation as to how they would like to proceed (informal adjustment, formal filing of delinquency petition, or waiver to adult court). It is then determined how to proceed and the case is processed accordingly. All juvenile cases in Kosciusko County are handled by Kosciusko Superior Court #1. The goal and purpose of juvenile law is to rehabilitate the juvenile delinquent. There are many avenues that can be explored to work toward rehabilitating the juvenile's behavior. |
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