Stark County Mentor Program:
"Providing mentorship and support to veterans with legal difficulties"
The mentoring program connects offenders to volunteer veterans from the local community. The combination of services provided by the court, supervision, and mentoring is intended to foster successful completion of the Honor Court program and draw upon the codes of honor and service instilled in the participants during their military service to our country.
"When I started mentoring, I didn’t know what I had to offer these veterans, but then I realized—I have two ears to listen with."—Bill Anstine, Volunteer Mentor
Honor Court is held every 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month. Mentor session at 9:30 a.m. and Court at 10:00 a.m.
A veteran mentor must be:
- Willing to be a good listener;
- Encouraging and supportive of veterans involved with the legal system;
- Tolerant and respectful of individual differences; and
- Supportive, understanding, and helpful to other mentors
Additional requirements are:
- Honorable discharge from the U.S. Military;
- Good standing with the law;
- Adherence to all program policies;
- Commitment to program participation for a minimum of 12 months;
- Commitment to attendance of bi-weekly status review hearings; and
- Completion of training and participation in an Oath of Office
All Honor Court participants are required to make a mentor connection within the first three months of the program. The connection of participants to volunteer veterans from the local community is made to facilitate meaningful peer-to-peer mentoring. This has proven to be a successful component in allowing the participants to share with others who are better able to understand and/or to relate with situations encountered during or after their military service. In Justice for Vets’ Ten Key Components of Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC’s), Key Component Number Four indicates that ongoing interaction between veteran peer mentors and VTC participants increases the likelihood of a veteran remaining in treatment and improves the chances for sobriety and law-abiding behavior.
Directions to the Stark County Courthouse
The Stark County Courthouse is located in downtown Canton, Ohio on the Northwest corner of Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Street.
Driving Directions
From the North (Cleveland, Akron)
- Take I-77 South to the Tuscarawas Street exit
- Turn left at West Tuscarawas Street (Route 172 E)
- Continue East on Tuscarawas Street until you reach the intersection of Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Street.
From the South (New Philadelphia, Cambridge)
- Take I-77 North to exit 105 (downtown)
- Turn right onto Tuscarawas Street (Route 172 E)
- Continue East on Tuscarawas Street until you reach the intersection of Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Street.
From the East (Alliance, Louisville)
- Take Route 62 West to I-77 South
- Follow I-77 South to the Tuscarawas exit
- Turn left at West Tuscarawas Street (Route 172 E)
- Continue East on Tuscarawas Street until you reach the intersection of Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Street.
From the West (Wooster, Mansfield)
- Take Route 30 East to I-77 North
- Take I-77 North to exit 105 (downtown)
- Turn right onto West Tuscarawas St. (Route 172 E)
- Continue East on Tuscarawas Street until you reach the intersection of Market Avenue and Tuscarawas Street.
From Columbus
- Take I-71 N to Mansfield - pick up Rt. 30 E
- Take Rt. 30 E to I-77 N
- Take I-77 N to exit 105 (downtown)
- Turn right; continue East on Tuscarawas St. until you reach the intersection of Market Ave. and Tuscarawas St.
Parking: test
- Free parking for mentors only at the northeast corner of Market Avenue and 2nd Street, N.E. is the Millennium parking deck with the entrance on 2nd Street, N.E.
- Handicap parking is available behind the Stark County Courthouse off of 2nd Street N.E. (must press buzzer to alert staff for entrance)