Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 3-29-19

Feature
Attorney Chosen As Chief Of Treatment Courts
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
When Attorney Jeria Wilds decided to move from Atlanta to Tampa, she applied for a position with the 13th Judicial Circuit. She was hired and has been em- ployed with the Hillsbor- ough County State Attorney’s Office since 2005.
And, she brought to her new position, a wealth of knowledge and experience gained while serving as a Major in the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) as well as in private practice.
Recently, Attorney Wilds was promoted to the role of Chief of the Problem Solving Court for the Hills- borough County State Attor- ney’s Office.
State Attorney An- drew Warren said, of the promotion, “I am excited to announce that Jeria Wilds has been promoted to Chief
in her role as Director of Problem Solving Courts.
“Jeria has excelled in supervising our various problem solving courts. She has been responsible for overhauling and expanding Drug Court and Veteran’s Treatment Court, as well as overseeing the start of our Mental Health Court and the recently established Ju- venile Mental Health Court.
“Her promotion reflects the diligence and excellence she has demonstrated dur- ing her tenure at this office.”
Her role as Chief of the Problem Solving Courts re- quires her to develop, imple- ment, maintain treatment courts based on criminal justice reform models.
Attorney Wilds stated that the role of the problem solving courts is to help re- duce recidivism in the Crim- inal Justice system while maintaining public safety.
Although her office is re- sponsible for the prosecu-
ATTORNEY JERIA WILDS Promoted to Chief of the Problem Solving Courts
tion of those who have com- mitted crimes, whenever possible, they want to re- duce repeat offenders com- ing through the courts.
She further said that studies have shown people who become repeat offend- ers usually have underlying problems. Once the person completes his or her sen- tence and is released, there is a high probability that he or she will commit another
crime.
However, the Problem
Solving Courts were created to address those underlying problems that can be inclu- sive of mental health issues, and drug addictions affect- ing the society as a whole, as well as specific groups such as Veterans or juveniles.
“In the past, we have not been treating the problems. But, now, we have services that help with treatment, housing, education, job training. Our goal is to help them live productive lives.
“The courts don’t know the real reason of people re- peating crimes, but we want to stop people from recy- cling.
“If we use this power wisely, we can save money, and get people back into the community and not coming back through the courts,” Attorney Wilds said.
Attorney Wilds is the first to serve in the capacity of the newly created Chief position. Of the position she said, “It fits how I think. And I’m honored that Attorney Warren recognized my work and promoted me within the same area in
which I was working.”
A member of a promi- nent Tampa family, Attor- ney Wilds is the daughter of Mrs. Ozepher Wilds and the late Jetie B. Wilds, Jr., and grand- daughter of the late Jetie B.
and Minnie Wilds, Sr.
A member of a military family, Attorney Wilds graduated from Oakland Mills High School, in Co- lumbia, Maryland. She con- tinued her education at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree as a double major in Political Science and African American Stud-
ies.
Attorney Wilds earned
her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Cali- fornia, Berkeley-Boalt Hall, School of Law, in Berkeley, California.
When time allows, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, trav- eling, and driving to visit na- tional parks.
A veteran who has served 9 years in the U. S. Army, Attorney Wilds is a mem- ber of Bible-Based Fellow- ship Church of Carrollwood.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019