Thursday, April 21, 2016 | 2 a.m.
Court officials say Las Vegas Township Court is one of 10 in the nation to win a grant to begin a community court program to redirect petty offenders in quality-of-life cases.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Bita Yeager says the award involves a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and technical assistance from the nonprofit New York-based Center for Court Innovation.
The program aims to reduce crime and substance use, address victims' issues, save money and boost public confidence in courts.
Offenders are directed into projects like graffiti-removal, park maintenance and litter clean-up, while getting opportunities for drug and alcohol counseling, mental health services and job training.
Yeager says the other courts are in and around Chicago; Cleveland; Dallas; Honolulu; Philadelphia; Olympia and Spokane, Wash.; Eugene, Ore.; and Jersey City, N.J.
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