City Prosecutor Nicole Clinkscales wants to help offenders better handle conflict to keep them from returning to court.
She’s teaming up with Kimberly Shelton-Hudgins, a social worker and owner of KS Hudgins Professional Counseling and Consulting Group, to bring a new conflict resolution program to life.
The two revealed their idea to Columbus City Council at its work session Thursday morning.
“Conflicts are something all of us are going to have every day in our lives,” Clinkscales said. “The question is do we know how to effectively resolve conflict?”
She said that many issues, such as traffic stops or episodes of disorderly conduct, escalate to arrests simply because people don’t have the tools to resolve conflicts in a healthy manner.
“What we want to do in this program is identify individuals that can benefit from the skills and counseling and training early – as early as possible, because intervention is always helpful – and then start to implement this as part of our way as resolving and addressing our caseload in municipal court,” Clinkscales said.
Shelton-Hudgins told The Dispatch following the meeting that the program will refer nonviolent misdemeanor offenders for voluntary assessments and group therapy sessions.
These sessions will be offered at reduced prices, such as $75 for individual assessments compared to the rate of $225.
Once a person completes the program, they can potentially have their charges retired to the files, meaning the prosecutor will not pursue the charges. Fines can also be waived, she said.
Clinkscales said the program will come at no cost to the city, but if the program is successful, she and Hudgins would want to partner with the city to expand the program with grant funding.
“What we’re wanting to do is to get the program off the ground so we can compete for (grant funding),” she said. “It’s hard to compete when you don’t have anything to draw from.”
“I stand with you on this,” said Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens. “… How people can go off sometimes during a routine traffic stop that leads to them being arrested because they weren’t taught. This is where you’re saying you guys can step in and maybe curtail some of these situations.”
Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Stewart also endorsed the program.
“You have no idea what a great program you have initiated here,” she said. “You will be able to help a lot of people, because a lot of the crime generates from having no way to resolve the conflict you’re having. My hat’s off to you, and I’m 100% supportive.”
Kevin Edwards is news editor and reports on Starkville and Oktibbeha County government.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
