HOMERVILLE — After two years of balancing a thriving private practice with the responsibilities of a part-time judgeship, Charles Steedley was appointed to serve as full-time Juvenile Court judge for the Alapaha Judicial Circuit.

The appointment by Chief Superior Court Judge Brooks Blitch in December converted the position, which was once run by two part-time judges, into one full-time position. Steedley spent the past two years sharing the responsibilities of the position with Berrien Sutton, but stated that scheduling for the agencies within the five counties served by the circuit could be streamlined with one full time judge. Currently, the circuit serves Cook, Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch and Lanier counties.

Steedley, who graduated from high school in Homerville and went on to earn a degree in business management from Valdosta State University and a law degree from John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, stated that he sees a lot of progress with today’s children.

Steedley’s main goal is to be a positive role model for the children who visit his court room and to give them a clear vision of the future.

“The problem with many of these children is that they’re not thinking about what’s down the road,” Steedley said. “I take time with each of them to explain to them where they are making mistakes and what will happen if they don’t get their lives in order.”

Steedley added that his main incentive to continuing his work is to make a change in the children he sees before it is too late.

“Some you can’t reach, but a good majority of them listen to what you tell them,” Steedley said. “I just want to see that they don’t come back.”

As a judge, Steedley believes in a graduated sanctions approach to sentencing.

“For a minor offense, they will get a minor type sentence, but if they come back again I have to do something a little bit different,” Steedley said.

As he works to provide opportunities for the juveniles in his court to make life changes, Steedley realizes that some of those he sees on a regular basis are not going to change their ways. If the crime is serious enough, the sentence will result in the juvenile spending time in a detention center program.

Detention center programs range from 30 days to 60 days and can go up to five years for felony offenses, according to Steedley.

“You always hear the saying ‘The youth are the future,’ and that’s true,” Steedley said. “If you can make a difference in these children’s lives it makes an impact on the community at large, not just one individual or their immediate family, but the entire community will change. It’s real important to try and reach these children to help them understand what lies in the future and to let them know that if they make the right choices there will be plenty of rewards, but if they do not make the right choices, there will be consequences.”

Steedley and his wife Elizabeth Owens-Steedley, of Valdosta, have four children: Laci, 21, who attends college at Georgia Southern University, Heyward, 9, Lindsey Kate, 7, and Micajah, 4.

Steedley took over full-time judicial responsibilities on Dec. 5.