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07/21/2008 |
County Attorney’s Bad Check Program Reaches New Highs
Polk County Attorney John Sarcone has sponsored a Bad Check Restitution and Education Program for the past eight years. The program recently scored new record highs in the area of checks processed, restitution returned to merchants and violators attending class. In June 2008 1,361 checks were referred to the program for participation from Polk County merchants; this reflects a 272% increase in check volume over the same month in 2007. In the first six months of calendar year 2008, $135,306 in restitution was collected and returned to participating merchants. This year to date total easily eclipses the 2007 calendar year total of $118,775. In calendar year 2008, 516 bad check writers have attended a four hour class in financial management and accountability taught by PhD and masters Degree level instructors. In calendar year 2007, total attendance for the year was 531. There is no cost for a merchant to participate in this program. All costs associated with the program are paid by offenders.
The check program is operated in cooperation with American Corrective Counseling Service which has a local representative who coordinates the program with employees of the Polk County Attorney’s Intake and Screening Bureau. For further information about the Bad Check Program, contact Mary Bonnet at 515-286-2010.
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