JDCAP opens membership to be more inclusive of detention alternative programs!

During the most recent JDCAP Board meeting, the Bylaws Committee offered proposed revisions to the definition of Facility Members. These revisions were subsequently voted on and approved by the membership without any dissenting votes. As a result, JDCAP membership will be open to include non-secure juvenile detention alternative programs.

Effective immediately, JDCAP Bylaws describing Facility Membership shall read as follows:

Facility members must be licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare to provide detention services. The definition recognizes the issues of secure and non-secure juvenile detention programs and detention alternative programs. The definition states that juvenile detention is the temporary and safe custody of juveniles who are accused of certain conduct and who require a restricted setting for community protection while awaiting legal action. Juvenile detention provides a range of helpful services that include, at a minimum, education, recreation, counseling, nutrition, health care, reading, visitation, communication, and continuous supervision. Juvenile detention also includes or provides for a system of clinical observation and assessment. Crucial terms include temporary custody, safe custody, restricted environment, community protection, pending legal action, helpful services, and clinical observation and assessment. Detention programs meeting this definition may also include residential beds and other services under their corporate structure. Each member facility is entitled to one (1) vote.

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Juvenile Justice Stakeholders

JDCAP is hosting a statewide stakeholder meeting on June 12 from 10 AM - 2 PM to discuss Repurposing Juvenile Detention and Juvenile Justice Facilities.

Date: Wednesday June 12, 2013

Time: 10 AM - 2 PM

Location: Holiday Inn Morgantown

6170 Morgantown Road

Morgantown, PA 19543
phone: 610.286.3000

In an effort to plan for continued accessibility of secure juvenile detention beds in PA, JDCAP members would like to engage key juvenile justice stakeholders in an open discussion to determine how our facilities may be in the best position to repurpose staff and or facilities to assure sustainability.

We are extending this open invitation to key stakeholders as well as individuals who influence policy and we ask that you respond with your availability.

We hope to identify ideas about how to engage our members in supporting efforts toward PA's Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy.

 A room block is available for folks interested in overnight accommodations. Click here for the link to the Holiday Inn.

If you plan to spend the night at the Holiday Inn, please notify Wayne Bear to ensure room block rates are available.

To reserve a seat contact Wayne Bear at wbear@pacounties.org by email or call 1717-232-7554 X 3117

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any stakeholders that you think would offer value to this process.

 The next scheduled Standards Workgroup meeting is June 19 at the Abraxas Academy in Morgantown.

During this meeting, we will finalize the Medical Health section of the standards.

Committee Meeting

The next JDCAP Training Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday July 1 at 10 AM-2PM at the Abraxas Academy. The training committee will be sent a proposed agenda in advance of this meeting. We are expecting a full agenda and lively discussion.

Employment Opportunities

The Henley Young Juvenile Detention Center in Jackson, MS is hiring a new director.  See the two links below for additional information.

Job Announcement

Job Description

Additional Information

Juvenile Justice Resource Hub

The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) has launched the Juvenile Justice Resource Hub, a new resource developed in partnership with Juvenile Justice Information Exchange and the MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change. The hub pulls together information and resources to provide a high-quality overview of key issues in juvenile justice, strategies for change, and resources that include research, toolkits, and links to national experts. The hub is published by the Center for Sustainable Journalism at Kennesaw State University.

Court Diversion Video Available Online

The Vermont Association of Court Diversion Programs has posted a new online video that explains how Vermont's court diversion program, an alternative to the traditional court system, works. The 9-minute video highlights how the program's restorative justice approach benefits participants and the community. Approximately 10 percent of misdemeanor charges in Vermont are handled through diversion at significant savings to the state; participants who successfully complete the program avoid a criminal conviction.

Addressing Dating Violence Through Orders of Protection - NIJ Publications Update

Through the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, NIJ has made available the following final technical report (this report is the result of an NIJ-funded project but was not published by the U.S. Department of Justice)

Title: An Exploratory Study of Juvenile Orders of Protection as a Remedy for Dating Violence (pdf, 172 pages) 

 

OJJDP Updates Statistical Briefing Book

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has updated its Statistical Briefing Book (SBB). Developed by the National Center for Juvenile Justice, the SBB offers easy access to a host of juvenile justice resources. The following SBB resources have recently been updated:

• FBI Arrest Statistics through 2010 to include arrest rates for juveniles.
• Juvenile Court Statistics between 1985 and 2010.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Juveniles in Court and Juveniles on Probation to 2010.

In addition, FAQs in the Juvenile Justice Structure and Process resource section have been reorganized and new FAQs have been added, including state comparisons on how probation and aftercare are administered.

Webinar To Examine Impact of Affordable Care Act on Youth

On May 22, 2013, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Solutions Desk will host the Webinar "Impact of Affordable Care Act on Youth and Young Adults." Presenters will examine youth access to and use of health care; discuss components of the Affordable Care Act that will impact youth and young adults; review the unique health needs of youth transitioning out of adolescence, including those with special health care needs; and provide information on federal resources for those working with youth.

Register for this free Webinar.

Learn more about the Affordable Care Act.