An examination by the Middletown Journal found there are some men and women who have been arrested more than 100 times and some close to 200.
Middletown Municipal Court Judge Mark W. Wall said with a laugh, “Oh, I know a lot of them by their first name. And they just call me Mark.”
Police and court officials said they can’t put a financial number to it, but said the offenders waste taxpayers money because of the time officers and courts spend on the cases.
Studies show a typical police department will spend 70 percent to 80 percent of its resources on 15 percent of the population, according to Middletown Police Maj. Mark Hoffman.
Hamilton Police Chief Neil Ferdelman cited a similar statistic.
Both men are believers.
According to Steve Longworth, Middletown director of court services, the people with the most cases in municipal court are, Charles Grubbs, 41, 198 cases; Benny Barefield, 41, 177 cases; Damon Domineck, 47, 150 cases; Robert Banks Sr., 69, 134 cases; David Hedger, 55, 111 cases and Robert Banks II, 51, (son of Robert Sr.), 103.
Attempts were made to contact all of the men for this story, but they either refused or could not be found.
Typical repeat offender
In most cases, charges are misdemeanors that can land offenders behind bars in local jails for short stays. Police and judges say their crimes are usually alcohol or drug abuse driven. Even thieves and burglars are usually committing crimes to get money to feed a habit.
“I have been around so long that I am seeing grandfathers, fathers and grandsons in court,” Wall said.
While some may snicker or joke about the misfortune of some repeat offenders, such as Michelle Allen whose mug shot in a cow suit ended up on the national news, Wall said it’s not funny and is costly.
“It’s no laughing matter. It is a real tragedy,” Wall said. He noted many offenders suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome and get caught up in a cycle rooted in generations.
The court has had some success in getting addicts into treatment, including the county drug court.
“There are people who are successful,” Wall said, noting he sees one of his reformed “frequent fliers” often at a Middletown corner store where they exchange greetings.
“But then there are some that you know all you can do is lock them up for an extended period of time to give him some degree of sobriety. Then hope for the best,” Wall said.
Hoffman said repeat offenders are also well-known to officers on the street. Despite what is on television, most encounters are not adversarial.
“They (officers) have a relationship with them. They know what is going to happen, and the person has a certain expectation too,” he said.
The average person would be alarmed and frightened to see a cruiser pull up to the house and an officer knock on the door. “But it is sort of odd for these people — it’s a way of life, the norm,” Hoffman said. He added the defendants also have their own level of behavior that is acceptable to them and what line they won’t cross.
Takes a toll
Repeat offenders take a toll on the force of 76 officers who responded to 59,302 calls for service in 2011, Hoffman said. The number of officers has shrunk by 17 since 2000 and the city budget continues to be tight. However, not responding to a call is not an option, he said.
Hoffman said officers do have the discretion to tell an offender who really isn’t hurting anyone to go home rather than take them to jail, where they will go to court and get a fine the officers know the defendant will not pay.
“If you know the person, you know their behavior,” Hoffman said.
Court-ordered treatment helps some break the cycle of crime, but Hoffman said most, “find religion, grow up, just get to old for the life style, go to prison or die.”
Ferdelman, a police office of 37 years, said substance abuse drives the crime, from theft to prostitution to OVI to disorderly conduct.
“It costs a lot of taxpayers’ money to chase them down and make arrests,” Ferdelman said. That is why he said he is a firm believer in drug court and intervention that is court ordered. It is also costly, but it can stop the abuse and in turn stops crime.
“There are better things we could be doing,” Ferdelman said. “Proactive program, community oriented policing and programs to keep kid out of the criminal justice system.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lauren.pack@coxinc.com.
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