Lake County board reviews proposed court fees

People convicted of most crimes in Lake County would face $10 in new fees to help fund court-related programs, according to a proposal before the county board.

The fees would generate $5 per conviction for the county's drug court and $5 for the Children's Advocacy Center.

The drug court is an alternative program for nonviolent defendants who are addicts. It involves counseling, drug testing and other techniques and aims to reduce recidivism.

The advocacy center's staff investigates child abuse cases and offers court advocacy, crisis intervention, police assistance and other services.

The fees could raise $335,000 annually for each of the programs.

The county board reviewed the proposal during a committee-of-the-whole session Friday. The board could vote on the plan Tuesday, July 12.

The plan also calls for an existing $10 court fee benefiting the county's mental health court to be assessed more often.

The mental health court offers treatment and other social services to nonviolent criminals who meet certain criteria.

Since 2005, the $10 fee has been imposed on anyone convicted in criminal and drunken-driving cases, or defendants granted supervision in such cases. Under the board's proposal, the fee would be extended to virtually all criminal, traffic and local-ordinance cases.

It wouldn't apply to parking or pedestrian violations or instances of automobile registration violations.

Once expanded, the fee will help fund the mental health court and the drug court, and a similar program for military veterans and active troops accused of crimes.

Expanding the number of cases the fee applies to is expected to generate $620,000 in additional revenue, officials said Friday.

County board Chairman David Stolman called the fees “nominal” and insisted officials aren't trying to build a pot of revenue on the backs of criminal defendants.

“We're not trying to beat anybody up with humongous fees,” he said.

Although some people might find the proposed fees onerous, by helping fund alternative court programs they will do something “for the good of society,” Stolman said.