Madera County District Attorney Michael Keitz announced that since the programs creation in 2007, the Madera County District Attorney's Bad Check Restitution Program has returned over $100,000 in restitution to local merchants and individuals victimized by bad check losses.</p><p>District Attorney Keitz stated, "Bad checks affect everyone in terms of costs that must be paid to offset losses, as well as the costs involved in law enforcement and prosecution. Our office enhanced the Bad Check Restitution Program with two important goals in mind: to increase the accountability of those who pass bad checks, without increasing the administrative or financial burden to the criminal justice system and to return to victims that which is rightfully theirs."</p><p>The program's unique, cooperative effort combines private and public sector resources to educate businesses in preventative check acceptance measures, and requiring bad check offenders to complete a special intervention class in addition to paying restitution. The classes serve as reinforcement that offenders must be held more accountable. Instructors address the issues of rationalizations that perpetuate an offender's bad check writing behavior and emphasize personal responsibility, as well as basic issues about managing checkbook finances, the law, communication, budgeting, and managing stress.</p><p>Operating funds will be paid by fees assessed to bad check offenders. No tax dollars are required to operate the program and merchants will receive 100 percent of the restitution recovered by the program.</p><p>For more information about the Madera County District Attorney's Bad Check</p><p>Restitution Program, visit <a href="http://<a href="http://www.checkprogram.com/maderacountyca" target="_blank">www.checkprogram.com/maderacountyca</a>" target="_blank">http://<a href="http://www.checkprogram.com/maderacountyca" target="_blank">www.checkprogram.com/maderacountyca</a></a> or call toll free (866) 434-1417.