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DENTON – Sometimes children involved in the judicial system can spend hours in the courthouse with little to do as the clock ticks and anxiety builds.
But in the small conference room in Caroline County State’s Attorney Sloane Franklin’s office in the historic Caroline County Courthouse, kids now have an interactive touchtable to help them pass the time and engage in educational and fun games.
“For a child, a courthouse can feel vast and intimidating,” Caroline County Department of Social Services Director Shari Blades wrote in an email. “We know that the uncertainty of waiting can be just as taxing and stressful as the court proceedings themselves.”
“By introducing this interactive touchtable, we’re offering more than just a distraction – we’re offering a sense of normalcy and calm,” Blades wrote.
The interactive touchtable was uncrated, set up and presently informally on Feb. 17, 2026, by staff members from the Caroline County Child Advocacy Center. “It is a great addition to the office,” Franklin said.
The 72-pound, $7,000 digital activity center is loaded with over two dozen games and educational activities for all ages. It was funded by a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) federal grant funneled through the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.
“Priority service is given to victims of child abuse, sexual assault and underserved victims,” Franklin said.
Victim Witness Coordinator Ashton Hammon said, “We have trials all the time, and we don't want the victims hanging around in the courtroom all day with the defendant, so we set them up in here.”
While some trials are just a day, others can last several days. “So they could be here all day, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for multiple days in a row, so it gets tough,” Hammon said. “They always have to be ready if we need to pull them in. It’s unfortunate, but it’s how the process works.”
“Anything we can do to make the situation better for them – more comfortable, less stressful – is certainly worthwhile,” Deputy State’s Attorney Joel Todd said.
“This technology allows children to decompress and regulate their emotions in a way that feels natural to them,” Blades wrote. “It’s a simple yet powerful way to say: 'You are seen, you are supported, and your comfort matters while you are here.’”
