After attending her Girl Scout troop’s career day in the fourth grade, Rebecca Buitendorp knew she was destined to become an attorney. On January 24, she was sworn in by then-Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb to serve as a judge of the Porter County Circuit Court. In her new role, combined with over 20 years of previous prosecuting experience, she is excited to be a patron for those across Porter County while also strongly supporting the county’s youth through her work overseeing all of the juvenile jurisdictions on State Road 2.
“It’s all been really wonderful,” Buitendorp said. “I feel very excited to be here and make some improvements and adjustments, but it's been great to come into very solid staff as well. The entire juvenile system is also a very solid system. It's wonderful to come into a solid foundation, but my favorite part has been looking for ways to improve efficiency, getting litigants through the court system, and giving them some finality in the decision to the issues that they're bringing to us.”
Buitendorp’s new role as judge allows her to work with and oversee many different parts of the court system. Since Circuit Court as a whole is a wider variety court – it holds the title of both Circuit Court and Superior Court 5 – Buitendorp’s role is a bit more varied compared to other courts. Both the Circuit Court and Superior Court hold specific jurisdiction over particular areas. A typical workload may have her working with tax deeds and name changes for minors, which are tasks exclusive to the Circuit Court. It also includes civil dockets and felony criminal dockets, which are tasks related to the Superior Court.
No matter what the job brings, helping others is at the core of everything Buitendorp does. Through overseeing juvenile jurisdiction, she is able to help give a voice to children who need it the most during some of their most vulnerable moments to prevent them from turning to a life of crime. While only a judge for a short time, she has had ample experience working with children in the court system as a prosecutor, and she is looking forward to expanding on that even further moving forward.
“I was a prosecutor for over 20 years before coming to the bench. Working with the public and people through very difficult times in their lives is something I have felt very called to do. It’s what I did as a prosecutor,’ she said. “Even though it's from a different perspective, it still feels good to be walking people through the process, letting them understand what the process is, why the process is the way it is, and giving them some kind of finality to the issues they have. It’s all very rewarding.”
Within the Juvenile Justice Services lies a few different courts aimed at helping each and every child, all supported by stakeholders throughout the county. There is much more in addition to the detention center to give them the tools they need to best work through their circumstances.
This includes drug court to help with drug and substance use disorders, transformation court to help with mental health treatment, truancy court to help students attend and embrace school, and problem-solving court where the child sits down in a conference-table style discussion with parents and other professionals to talk out solutions to problems in a controlled environment.
“The kids have a voice at the table of what's going on at home. They are brought in to help solve whatever those problems are to get rid of those barriers,” Buitendorp said. “We really work to try to make the entire household successful, which includes building rapport with them directly and letting them know they have a voice. They're able to say what's good, what's bad, and what's a hurdle for them at any moment. We want to let them know they have got a whole team of people around this table who are going to help them figure out how to get past what they’re dealing with.”
Outside of the courts themselves, Juvenile Justice Services also houses many other resources for children and families. Kids are welcome to come into the center during the day for tutoring or extra help to make sure they are doing their schoolwork. There are also games the center holds, such as Juvenile Justice Jeopardy, to help encourage conversations on choices and consequences, as well as child support services and many others.
Navigating heavy topics in the courtroom can be challenging. While Buitendorp wants everyone she encounters to succeed, her role as a judge comes with limitations. However, maintaining a healthy work-life balance has been essential in helping her thrive both personally and professionally.
“I would hearken back to a lot of my time at the prosecutor's office,” she said. “You're dealing with some really traumatic incidents, and there's no doubt that it does impact you. You'd have to have a heart of stone for it to not impact you, but finding healthy ways to make sure that you're balancing that is important. For me, it was family time. I also love yoga, so going to yoga was very therapeutic for me. I also try my best to compartmentalize or leave what I can at work and try to deal with what I can’t in a healthy way outside of work.”
Despite the challenges, the difference Buitendorp is making in the lives of countless young people across the county makes every tough day worthwhile. Without Juvenile Justice Services, many kids might never get the chance to take that crucial first step toward a brighter future. It’s the knowledge that she’s helping to create those opportunities – and will continue to do so – that fuels her passion and dedication every single day.
“It's tremendous to be able to walk people through their problems and empower people to know that their voice does matter,” Buitendorp said.
For more information on Juvenile Justice Services, please visit its website here.
