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CONTACT
Executive Director
FINS Phone: (337) 551-4387
Office Phone: (337) 369-3804
Fax: (337) 369-6164FINS Office Hours:
IBERIA PARISH:
Monday & Wednesday 11:00am to 3:00pm
Thursday
11:00am to 2:00pm
Iberia Courthouse AnnexST. MARTIN PARISH:
Monday & Wednesday 11:00am to 3:00pm
Friday
11:00am to 2:00pm
St. Martin Parish CourthouseST. MARY PARISH:
Monday & Tuesday
11:00am to 3:00pm
Thursday
11:00am to 2:00pm
St. Mary Parish Courthouse
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The FINS Committee is assigned the duties and responsibilities of dealing with truancy and ungovernable children. FINS goals are to reduce formal juvenile court involvement while generating appropriate community services to benefit the child and improve family relations.
The purpose of the FINS process is to improve the behavior of the children and families involved in the program. By assessing the behavioral issues surrounding the families, services can be provided that can reduce or eliminate the problems identified.
The FINS Process
Referrals are received through the school system, law enforcement agencies and from parents. Court referrals can be made based on grounds found in LA.CH.C.Article 730. This includes:
- Truant (Article 728 (4) - Repeated or habitual unauthorized absence of the child from school as required by Compulsory School Attendance Law-R.S. 17.221) or willfully and repeatedly violated school rules.
- Ungovernable (Article 728 (5) - Habitual disregard of the lawful and reasonable demands of his caretakers and the child is beyond their control.
- Runaway (Article 728 (3) - The continued absence of the child from the home of caretaker without the caretakers consent.
- Child has repeatedly possessed or consumed intoxicating beverages, misrepresented or deceived his age for purpose of purchasing or receiving intoxicating beverages, and/or repeatedly loitered around any place where such beverages are the principal commodities sold or handled.
- Child has committed an offense applicable only to children.
- Child is under ten (10) years of age and committed a criminal offense.
- The parent(s)/caretaker(s) have caused, encouraged or contributed to the child's behavior as cited herein or the commission of a delinquent act.
- After notice, the parent(s)/caregiver(s) have willfully failed to attend a meeting with the child's teacher, school principal, or other appropriate school employee to discuss truancy, behavior, or serious educational problems.
- Child is incompetent to proceed in a delinquent matter under Article 832, et seq. (Mental Incapacity to Proceed).
- Child found in possession of handgun or semiautomatic handgun under circumstances which reasonably exclude any lawful purpose.
Once a complaint is filed, recommendations to correct the identified problems, usually in the form of a service plan, are made to the family; the family must follow the directives given. The FINS Officer is responsible for monitoring compliance. If recommendations are not followed, the family may be referred to court, a FINS conference, and/or a hearing before a judge.