It is probably not a good sign for the suburbs that the next addition to the courthouse in Rolling Meadows could be a court devoted entirely to drug-related crimes.
Judge Joseph Urso, who took over in December as the third new presiding judge in as many years, said he is considering adding a narcotics court within the next six months if a survey of recent cases warrants it.
“We are undertaking a study now to see if this is the best use of the court’s time,” he said.
He also is determined that the court should educate as well as judge people and is setting up programs to focus on domestic abuse and to better monitor those convicted of DUI.
Illinois State Police statistics show that drug arrests in many communities in the district have yo-yoed up and down in the years between 1994 and 1997 (the last full year for which statistics have been released). The number of drug arrests remains relatively high in relation to most other crimes except theft and burglaries.
Towns such as Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Streamwood and Hanover Park each logged between 74 and 138 drug arrests in 1997.
But it is not merely the number of drug cases clogging Rolling Meadows’ two criminal courtrooms that has led to Urso’s interest in a narcotics court. He believes it is important to set up court-run treatment and diversionary programs.
Urso, 56, has been on the bench for 22 years, after nine years as an assistant state’s attorney. He spent most of his time as a judge in venues far grittier than Rolling Meadows and has a reputation for running a no-nonsense courtroom.
He has been a trial judge in gun court and violence court, and has presided over criminal cases at 26th and California in Chicago. Even though his new role as presiding judge is primarily administrative, Urso often fills in when another judge is sick or on vacation.
“I never hesitate to get back on the bench,” he said.
His passion for the bench is evident in the courtroom artists’ drawings on his office walls depicting such high-profile cases as the murder trial of serial killer Larry Eyler, over which he presided in 1986. To commemorate his years in criminal court, Urso has a concrete gargoyle from the facade of the building used by the infamous El Rukn street gang, which was razed by the city of Chicago in 1990.
It would seem unlikely that there would be much to shock Urso. Yet he admits to being unpleasantly surprised by the number of sexual abuse and assault cases he has encountered in his new post.
“We’ve had cases involving people in positions of authority in the community–an athletic coach, a Scout leader and a lifeguard, and I was quite surprised at the number of these kinds of cases,” he said.
Urso acknowledged that times have changed the needs of suburban court. Rolling Meadows now has a full-time domestic violence court–always busy issuing orders of protection–and two full-time criminal courts.
Domestic violence is one of the biggest areas of concern in the northwest suburbs. To do something about it, Urso is forming local councils made up of health care professionals, clergy, social service workers, police and educators. The councils will conduct seminars on child abuse as well as spousal and elder abuse.
“We want to educate the police and everybody who comes into contact with these victims to recognize the signs of abuse, since victims sometimes don’t complain until it is too late,” Urso said.
Urso’s goal is to make the suburban courthouse as full service as possible. “We want to make it so that nobody has to go very far to accomplish their legal business,” he said.
Now, about the only legal problems that require a trip into Chicago are probate matters and chancery court cases, such as name changes and court orders in disputes that don’t involve monetary damages.
Urso said he believes the courts must educate the public as well as judge crimes.
“We have to develop programs that will have some sort of impact in these problem areas,” he said.
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