Blair's Boutique

Story by Betsy O’Leary | Photos by Johnny Chauvin

The Honorable Blair Edwards has spent her career serving Tangipahoa Parish’s most vulnerable citizens.

The Chief Judge of the 21st Judicial District Court (JDC), the Honorable Blair Edwards, presides over Division I, which is an exclusively juvenile jurisdiction. During a recent sit-down with Tangi Lifestyles, she shared some of the progress and challenges in serving the children and families involved in the Juvenile Justice System.

Judge Edwards and her dedicated staff work out of their new facility located at 801 South First Street in Amite. Prior to her years on the bench, Edwards spent time representing juveniles navigating the court system. She saw firsthand how problems stemming from poverty and lack of guidance can snowball into truancy issues, substance abuse, and criminal behaviors.

By building an infrastructure of support systems, Judge Edwards hopes to alleviate some of the issues that bring juveniles and their families to her Division I courtroom.

Build It and They Will Come

Judge Edwards turned the new facility into a haven of help for these kids and also their families and guardians. Trauma is cyclical in families, and children repeat what they experience, including neglect and abuse.

Judge Edwards and staff members like Lieutenant Timothy “Danny” Sharkey and Henrietta Palmisano are trained in addressing trauma. She has also spent years in neuroscience studies and is a trauma practioner after attending classes in Trust-Based Relational Intervention at TCU. The Judge is also a certified trainer for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). She credits her training for her ability to recognize

and address the unspoken needs of the children as well as their families.

She has also begun what her colleagues refer to as “Blair’s Boutique.” The drive to provide for her clients has resulted in storerooms in the facility stocked with life’s basic necessities and a little more.

According to the Judge, kids most often request socks, underwear, soap, and shampoo on their Christmas and birthday lists, and parents often need wardrobe items suitable for job interviews.

Families can also turn to Blair’s Boutique for household necessities. Judge Edwards gave an example of a mother whose refrigerator broke, jeopardizing her ability to keep her kids from foster care placement by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). With the help of community partners, items such as refrigerators can be acquired to fill the need. They accept community donations of items as disparate as tuxedos, prom dresses, and fancy shoes to pots and pans.

A Different Take on Trauma

Simply being “in the system” is traumatic for children and their families. There typically is a precipitating traumatic event (or a series of events) that lands kids and families in the Drug, Truancy, or Juvenile Courts.

Judge Edwards volunteers her time to preside over Drug Court in both Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes. When asked what drives her to volunteer, she replied, “We have to address substance abuse issues, not only with the children, but with the families which leads us to the trauma that has occured.”

The court and offshoot programs like Families in Need of Services (FINS) can help coordinate resources for families and children that keep temporary problems from becoming life-altering events. Kids land in truancy court from missed school days. Edwards has learned that there could be a hidden issue such as transportation to medical appointments. By solving the problem, she and her team can end the truancy issue.

A Place to “Reset”

Judge Edwards and her staff also offer a “sensory room” for use by those going through the system, as well as members of the staff and community. The room has been designed to reduce stress by increasing outside stimulation. From the colored lights to the provided weighted blankets and fidget items, the room is a calming atmosphere for all who enter. “Last month we had a couple members of the Acadian Ambulance team experience a fatal accident, and they requested use of the room for a few minutes to decompress after the traumatic incident,” shared Edwards. “That is exactly what we want this room to be. A place of healing.”

Dignity In the Court

Judge Edwards believes people who make mistakes still love their children, and kids need an oasis from harsh conditions. Every 2.5 hours, staff walk around the courtroom handing out water bottles, as hydration eases trauma. There’s often hot food available for kids who cannot leave the courtroom, and the waiting rooms have baskets of granola bars and other snack foods for the children. The waiting areas also offer a steady stream of videos addressing how to cope with trauma in children as an additional resource for the families. While some juveniles’ consequences mean they leave court for the detention center, Judge Edwards’ compassion ensures they first have their needs addressed so they leave with a sense of hope for the future. Although much of what we aim to do is preventative and rehabilitative; juvenile crime has increased and offenses have become increasingly more severe.

We are so fortunate in our district to have the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center. FPJDC is a center for pre-adjudicated juveniles, as well as, post adjudicated (long-term or secure care) juveniles. “I have had a very good working relationship with Director Joey Dominick and the team at FPJDC. If a child has committed an offense where consequences require removing the offender from the community, I prefer to send them to FPJDC,” said Judge Edwards. “I know that while they are at the center, they will be acquiring skills that will help them be successful.”

The Judge operates under the doctrine “For every choice, there must be a consequence,” Although this makes her appear strict, she has never been considered unfair. She believes we have to raise the bar in our expectations. She explained, “If you don’t expect much, you get little. But when I set my expectations high, I usually get more.”

For more information on the services offered and how to donate, please call (985) 747-8835.