Probation
Here you will find information about the Posey County Juvenile and Adult Probation Department.
Posey County Probation
Michelle Fortune
Chief Probation Officer
Posey County Courthouse
300 Main St.
Mt. Vernon, IN 47620
Business: (812) 838-1312
Fax: (812) 838-1345
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Staff Directory
- Deana Tenbarge ext. 1320
- Michelle Fortune 1323
- Holly Mitchell ext. 1171
- Shawnna Rigsby ext. 1321
- Jason Simmons ext. 1322
- Ashley Thompson ext. 1170
Mission
The Mission of Probation is to provide necessary services to the offender toward reducing criminal/delinquent behavior, while balancing the needs and insuring the safety of the community. Probation is a profession that requires fundamental knowledge of the law, sentencing alternatives, human services, and community protection.
Adult Probation
Adult Probation is a branch of the Posey County Courts that supervises pretrial releases, felony level offenders and misdemeanor level offenders who have been approved to serve their sentences on probation and remain in the community. Probation services are tailored to the individual offender, and can include required counseling, substance abuse treatment, job training and community service.
A.C.C.E.P.T. (Achieving Cognitive Change and Effective Positive Thinking)
ACCEPT is an intensive probationary pre-trial community supervision program which we believe will assist you in making positive and healthy changes in your life. ACCEPT uses evidence-based supervision techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and strict accountability measures – specifically through the use of Moral Reconation Therapy (“MRT”) – to modify your attitudes, beliefs, values, thinking patterns, and behaviors regarding criminal activity.
Program Model
ACCEPT is a minimum 24-week intensive program where your progress depends solely upon your readiness for change. You are required to:
- abstain from all illicit drug and alcohol use;
- complete all phases of MRT;
- attend weekly office appointments with an assigned probation officer;
- attend progress hearings at a minimum of every six (6) weeks;
- and within twelve (12) weeks either begin actively seeking gainful employment, pursue a course of study, or enroll in an intensive substance abuse treatment program, if applicable.
Your graduation from ACCEPT is wholly contingent on you successfully completing all phases of MRT. If you are actively participating in, or have successfully completed, ACCEPT you may receive credit time towards any probation sentence you receive from the Court.
Acceptance in to ACCEPT
ACCEPT is geared to better help you with your addictions where other traditional community supervision programs have failed. However, Sex or Serious Violent Offenders are not allowed in ACCEPT.
Your acceptance into ACCEPT requires you to submit to two (2) separate assessments: first, an initial assessment is administered by a Posey County Probationer Officer. This includes a basic personal background investigation, criminal history check, and an Indiana Risk Assessment Screening Tool (IRAS) and will be performed within two (2) business days of your arrest. If you post bail prior to the assessment, you can undergo an assessment after your initial hearing; and a second assessment is administered by a mental health provider. This includes a detailed bio-psycho-social assessment and a substance abuse assessment.
If the assessments reveal that you:
- are moderate-to-high risk to reoffend;
- have reoffended since completing Community Correction;
- have reoffended since completing Probation;
- have a pending petition to revoke from Community Corrections or Probation;
- have never been charged with a sex or serious violent offense; and
- are ready for change
…then Probation will determine whether you are appropriate to be referred to the Court for ACCEPT.
Juvenile Probation
Unlike the adult probation system where adult offenders are not introduced to the probation system until after a conviction, probation is the starting place for a juvenile’s interaction with the juvenile justice system.
All juvenile cases processed through the juvenile justice system begin with a written report, or referral. The Juvenile Division receives referrals for youth under the age of 18 from various sources, including law enforcement, parents, and schools.
Juveniles are referred to the Probation Department for committing delinquent acts or status offenses. Delinquent acts are defined as acts that would be crimes if committed by an adult. Status offenses are acts of delinquency that are not crimes for adults, and include truancy, habitual disobedience, curfew violation, and runaway.
