Judge Troy Braswell began his term as judge for the 20th Judicial District – 2nd Division Circuit Court on January 1, 2015.  The primary focus of Judge Braswell’s court is juvenile cases – delinquency, status offenders, and truants.  

He and his staff are working hard to maintain community safety while meeting the needs of the young people coming through the court. The risk factors for these young people include poor academic achievement; truancy; lack of positive peer influence; drug use; teen pregnancy and/or teen parenting; little or no school or community involvement; exposure to violence in the home or neighborhood.  

The Court is partnering with the community to bring resources to these young people.  The UCA boxing coach directs a boxing program for some of the young men; tutors are being recruited to work with those struggling academically; and Volunteer Probation Officers (VPOs) and Drug Court Advocates (DCA) mentor delinquent youth.  Classes are currently being offered for ACT Prep, Anger Management, Drug and Alcohol Education, Parenting Education, and Civil Rights History.  A Girls’ book club and a Juvenile Court Girl Scout Troop will begin in the months to come.

 The mission of these interventions is to provide court-involved youth increased caring intervention to prevent future court involvement and to encourage positive appropriate behaviors that will further help those young people contribute to society on into adulthood.