12TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
An Interview with
Circuit Court Judge Andrea McHugh
William Shaffer recently interviewed Circuit Court Judge Andrea McHugh to discuss
Turn Your Life Around ( TYLA ) Court . Judge McHugh currently presides over the TYLA Court in addition to her regular duties in the Circuit Civil Division . She began service on the Circuit Bench in April 2017 after over 11 years as a prosecutor with the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney ’ s Office .
What is TYLA Court ? TYLA Court is a “ therapeutic ” court which means that the Court seeks to treat , rehabilitate , and heal individuals charged with crimes instead of a punitive sentence of incarceration in jail or prison . Sarasota County currently has multiple therapeutic , or diversionary , courts like Drug Court , DUI Court , Veteran ’ s Court , and Mental Health Court . All the diversionary courts are administered under the umbrella of Judge Charles Robert ’ s Problem-Solving Division . Individual judges volunteer their time and I have been overseeing the TYLA Court division since 2018 . Prior to that , Judge Erika Quartermaine presided over the TYLA docket and was instrumental in TYLA Court ’ s creation in 2013 .
What kinds of cases or crimes does TYLA deal with ? TYLA is designed to treat persons charged with prostitution and crimes related to sexual exploitation . Almost always there are drug-related charges and issues as well . The goal is to remove the survivor from the lifestyle by providing resources and assistance .
When people think of sex trafficking , often maybe they think of international criminal organizations smuggling women in cargo containers , the kinds of things you see in movies – is that what TYLA is dealing with ? Typically , we are dealing with young women or girls who have been forced or coerced into sex trafficking locally by traffickers or pimps .
Is it female-only ? Who is your average participant ? TYLA will take anyone who qualifies regardless of gender , race , or sexual orientation . However , in practice , the participants in the program are typically women who have been involved in sexual exploitation from an early age , usually between ages 12 and 14 . Almost always there is a history of childhood sexual abuse as well as other untreated childhood traumas . Many participants also have children who have been sheltered by the state in foster homes .
How did the program come about ? TYLA began in 2013 as a result of a collaborative effort between Selah Freedom , the Sarasota Police Department ( SPD ), the State Attorney ’ s Office , and Judge Erika Quartermaine . We are very fortunate to have Selah Freedom , a non-profit NGO , headquartered here in Sarasota . Selah funds the program 100 percent . Selah and SPD began a cooperative effort in 2012 seeking a fresh , community-based , approach to fighting sex exploitation . None of this would have been possible without Selah .
So law enforcement is directly involved ? Yes , for example , instead of arresting and jailing women after a prostitution sting operation , SPD will facilitate a meeting with a Selah Freedom advocate and they are given the opportunity to participate in TYLA Court .
Is that the only method of selection into TYLA ? There are a few different ways - Pretrial Services interviews and screens everyone post-arrest and the judge at first appearance can refer to TYLA . Sometimes the program receives a request to screen a person currently in jail custody . Also , private attorneys can request a TYLA review on behalf of their client .
How does the program work ? The program is one of “ tough love ” and requires a real commitment from the participants . Selah Freedom case managers are assigned to survivors , and the survivor – case manager relationship is crucial to the program . Case managers work intimately with participants and provide the survivor with needed resources in a variety of areas . The case managers are
18 | THE DOCKET - FEBRUARY 2022