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Saturday, February 11, 2006

Ind. Courts - More on: Supreme Court permits filming of juvenile court proceedings

A Sept. 7, 2005 ILB entry quoted a Munster (NW Indiana) Times story that began:

CROWN POINT | Cameras aren't allowed in Indiana courtrooms -- with one exception.

Karen Grau, of Calamari Productions, was filming at the Lake County Juvenile Justice Center Tuesday.

Seven years ago, the Indiana Supreme Court gave Grau, of Indianapolis, unprecedented access to juvenile court proceedings. They lifted the veil so the world could view what goes on in the otherwise tightly secured proceedings, said Dave Remondini, spokesman for the state's highest court.

Today the NWI Times has a story by Ruthann Robinson reporting that:
Come summer, Lake County teens will be teaching kids nationwide what not to do.

South Bend native Karen Grau is producing the eight-part documentary following delinquent teens through Lake County's juvenile court system.

"It's MTV's goal (with this production) to have kids who may find themselves in the same circumstance see the outcome of a wrong decision." Grau said.

"Our goal is to find average teens doing things average teens do." * * *

The Indiana Supreme Court gave Grau, who now lives in Indianapolis, unprecedented access to juvenile court proceedings in 1998. * * *

The payback for the courts is the camera catches teachable moments. All footage Grau shoots is available for judge, lawyer and court volunteer training.

No aspect of the project is outside Grau's control. Because she is the only one on the crew that understands "all the legal minutiae" of court proceedings, Grau is intimately involved in every court sequence shot. Even though all the action and dialogue are recorded on tape, Grau, ever the journalist, takes notes on everything said.

Grau estimates 90 percent of her job is talking -- to parents, kids, media, staff -- smoothing the way to make sure she puts out the best possible product.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 11, 2006 07:50 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts