CONWAY -- Judge Troy Braswell has announced that he will seek a second term as a judge in Division 2 of the 20th Judicial Circuit, which includes Faulkner, Van Buren and Searcy counties.
Braswell, 39, of Conway serves as the circuit's juvenile-court judge, though he also hears some cases involving adults.
The election will be March 3, 2020. Circuit judges serve six-year terms in Arkansas.
In a news release, Braswell said he has focused on community partnerships to help at-risk youths. He is chairman of the Youth Justice Reform Board and serves on the Supreme Court Commission on Youth and Families and the Arkansas Specialty Court Committee.
Braswell has advocated use of an assessment tool to provide for smarter sentencing of juvenile offenders.
Since he became a judge in January 2015, Braswell said, "there has been a 57% reduction in the confinement of juveniles in the local jail, a 42% reduction in commitments to [the Arkansas Division of Youth Services], the state's most secure confinement, and a 35% reduction in delinquency cases filed by" the Faulkner County prosecuting attorney's office.
"This is not about being soft on juveniles," said Braswell, formerly a chief deputy prosecutor. "This is about being smart. We owe it to the community and to the families we serve to understand the individualized areas of risk and need that each youth has when they enter court. Then, we must be willing to implement programs and services aimed at true rehabilitation and decreasing recidivism."
During his tenure, the juvenile drug court has expanded to serve young people in Van Buren County in addition to those in Faulkner County. He also has restored teen court, which now also serves Van Buren County, as well as Faulkner County students.
Braswell and his wife Karla have two children, Trey and Mia.
State Desk on 06/06/2019