[10/31/03]Grand jurors Thursday got a rare public glimpse of the confidential proceedings of Youth Court and reported that they were impressed with its management.

The 19 members chosen from voter rolls delivered their report to Circuit Judge Frank Vollor Thursday afternoon.

After being dismissed from the panel, grand jurors said they asked on their own initiative to tour Youth Court and the county’s youth detention facility.

“We were curious about the new judge and how he’s handling it,” one juror said, referring to Johnny Price, judge of Warren County Court and Youth Court since Jan. 1. “It was our decision. That was one of the first things we asked. We were very impressed with the way it was organized and run.”

No grand jury since before July 1999 had made such a request. Price said later that the jurors watched a complete trial of a youth accused of assaulting a school official.

The court is normally closed to the public, but Price, who has advocated opening Youth Court proceedings, said grand jurors are judicial officers when in session, so they are allowed to attend.

All four of this year’s quarterly grand juries have heard presentations by Price and County Prosecutor Marcie Southerland. All have commented positively on the management of the court.

“Judge Price does everything he can to get these kids to understand that they can make something of themselves,” one juror said Thursday. “He’s got a system over there that is composed of a number of people. There is no reason any kid in Warren County can’t make something of themselves if they just apply themselves. They’ve got all the resources available.”

Grand juries are charged with reviewing evidence in criminal cases to see if there’s enough evidence to order an indictment and public trial. They are also to deliver general assessments of law enforcement, public buildings and other public-interest matters of their choosing.

In addition to meeting with Price and Southerland, jurors also heard from four members of the board of supervisors, Sheriff Martin Pace, Police Chief Tommy Moffett, North Ward Alderman Gertrude Young, Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Dr. James Price and District Attorney Gil Martin. And, in addition to touring the Juvenile Detention Center, jurors visited the Warren County Alternative School, the Warren County Jail and the Old Court House Museum.

On their meeting with Young, jurors recommended that the city continue with efforts to extend basic services to areas annexed in 1993 and commended the city for “the excellent planning and development of the downtown revitalization.”

In an original comment on their meeting with Moffett, the panel said the VPD is “in need of hiring more officers. We recommend continual recruitment of qualified and experienced officers.”

In its visit to the alternative school, the panel “visited classrooms and found the students working on tasks,” its report said. It added that the school’s principal requested frequent walk-throughs of uniformed officers at the school.

Jurors praised Superintendent Price’s short- and long-term plans for the school system, including those for addressing students’ problems early in their school years and continued work with Youth Court programs.

And jurors recommended that Warren County Sheriff’s Department patrol cars be equipped with surveillance cameras and that the locking system in the jail be updated.

In repeats of previous panel’s comments, jurors credited Moffett with “excellent improvements” during his two years in office, particularly in increasing officer-training opportunities and expectations. They also urged the VPD to continue its emphasis on enforcement of drug laws.

Vollor noted that recommendation, adding that, “Many of our grand larcenies and embezzlements are done because people are either on drugs or are trying to get money for drugs.” The judge said at least half of the criminal cases he hears have some connection to drugs.

And the panel echoed prior recommendations that improvements be made to the jail, including adding surveillance cameras to upper floors and more lighting. And it called for increasing jail staff on duty and strict adherence to existing jail procedures.

Vollor noted that the grand-jury system is being done away with in many states.

“You are the eyes of the community,” he told jurors before dismissing them. “It is very important that you be given this opportunity to look and see what is going on.”