Community Justice Campus opens in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — After years of planning and construction, the Community Justice Campus (CJC) officially opened Monday.

The CJC houses the Marion County Superior Court, Marion County Circuit Court, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Adult Detention Center and the Assessment and Intervention Center (AIC). All in-person court matters, including jury trials, with the exception of juvenile delinquency (JD) cases, will now be at the CJC.

"This building was designed to enhance access to justice and accessibility to the courts through state of the art technology. We have built in opportunities for remote court appearances as well as digital evidence presentation and preservation," Amy Jones, Presiding Judge for Marion Superior Court, said.

The new Adult Detention Center has room for nearly 500 more inmates and there are inmate classrooms in each housing unit. Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal says with resources like behavioral health housing units as well as mental health and substance abuse programs, the criminal justice system will become a tool to address underlying causes of crime.

"We're marking that cultural shift, one centered on valuing the humanity of incarcerated persons and views the period of incarceration as one during which those within can receive help to make better choices when they leave."

The campus is home to 71 courtrooms and a Legal Resource Center for information for those who are representing themselves in court.

The CJC is located just off Prospect Street on the city's southeast side.