Delinquency Prevention Council - HelpingKidsNow.com

The Delinquency Prevention Council has undertaken several major initiatives for preventing/reducing juvenile delinquency. These programs were selected because they are research-based, proven effective at reducing/preventing delinquency... Read More

Meeting Archives:

9/3/2010

8/6/2010

6/4/2010

5/7/2010

4/9/2010

3/5/2010

2/5/2010

1/8/2010

12/4/2009

8/7/2009

7/1/2009

6/5/2009

4/3/2009

3/6/2009

2/6/2009

1/9/2009

12/5/2008

11/7/2008

10/3/2008

9/5/2008

8/1/2008

7/4/2008

DPC Meeting: Saturday May 2, 2009
Time: 8:30AM
Location: UW Extension, Jefferson, WI
AGENDA:

1. Welcome/Introductions

2. Approval of April meeting minutes

3. Recap Fishbone Diagram

a. Youth & Parent Program
i. Youth Leadership Conference 8.20.09
ii. PWHLTM Meetings 10.6.09 & 10.8.09

4. GUEST SPEAKER: Jessica Breezer, Teen Court Coordinator and Jim Schultz, Riverside Middle School Guidance Counselor to present the School-Based Teen Court Program of Jefferson County

5. Committee Check In (If Time Allows)
a. Executive
b. Membership
c. 0-5
d. 18-21
e. School Age/Intervention
f. Gang
g. ATODA Partnership

6. DFC Grant Check In( If Time Allows)

7. Other Organization Check In’s

8. Adjourn

REMINDER: June Meeting: Partnership Assessment Tool & Check In’s
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Jessica Breezer Restorative Justice Spec. Kris Feggestad Restorative Justice Spec.
Abigail Hail Restorative Justice Spec. Sally Diestelman UW-W Field Placement Student
Maria Dabel JCHSD Mary Geraghty Whitewater School
Bev Martin Delinquency Team Sup. Jessie Godek JCHSD
Sara Williams JCHSD Jim Shultz Watertown Schools
Don Battenberg Johnson Creek School Board Betty Arntson Voc. Rehab Director OI
Bob Chady Boys and Girls Club Ruth Hanmiller Palmyra-Eagle Schools
Betsy Bright Big Brother Big Sister (Dodge) Jeanette Marshall Lake Mills Schools
Don Nolan Jefferson School Monica Wagner Director of DPC
John Peterson Fort Schools Melinda Moe JCHSD
Dan McCrea United Way Mark Meddaugh Watertown Police Dept.
MINUTES:
3. Discussion
a. Called meeting to order at 8:37am Welcome and Introductions
b. April Meeting Minutes approved, no corrections or changes
c. Snacks provided by the Membership and Sustainability Committee
d. Fishbone Diagram Recap
i. Will be conducting one at the Youth Leadership Conference on 8-20-09
ii. And will do two with the Parents Who Host Lose The Most Campaign: 10-6-09 & 10-8-09 (Town Hall Meetings)
e. Introduction of Guest Speaker: Jessica Breezer: Restorative Justice Specialist and Teen Court Coordinator, and Jim Schultz: Riverside Middle School Counselor: Present to talk about School Based Teen Court
i. Jim Schultz: started presentation with introduction about the work that has gone into implementing school based teen court
1. youth are now able to have this take place in their school rather then coming to Jefferson
2. Another tool to use by the principle, teachers, and counselors to use in the school
ii. What Restorative Justice Is.
1. A Philosophy that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior
2. Most approaches to juvenile justice focus on punishing or treating delinquency youth, restorative justice seeks to involve the entire community in rehabilitation offenders and holding them accountable for their behavior
a. Important to get the student, administration, offender and others (ex. Janitorial staff)
iii. Youth/Teen Court
1. History: Reports show that youth court began in Horseheads, NY in 1968
2. Present: Currently 1,255 Youth Programs in 49 stated and the District of Columbia.
a. In Wisconsin there are over 43 Youth Courts in operation. The majority are community based, and to date, none of these agencies offer a school-component.
3. Breakdown: According to the National Youth Court Database (October 2006), approximately
a. 42% juvenile justice system-based
b. 22% community based
c. 36% school based
iv. Differences in Community Based Teen Court and School Based Teen Court
1. Jefferson County Teen Court (Community-Based)
a. Started in 1998, held 552 trials
b. 90.5% successful completing rate in 2008
c. 3 different sites
i. Watertown
ii. Whitewater
iii. Jefferson
iv. All teen court kids can go to each site if they want
d. Provided low-level first time offenders an opportunity to repair harm caused by criminal behavior
e. Viewed the video done by WISN-TV about the teen court process
f. 3 month for completion time
g. Mandatory: 5-35 service to community hours, 3-5 jury terms, Class (ATODA, Anger Management, and First Offender Program).
h. Optional: Essays, Apology Letters, Additional Projects
2. School Based Teen Court
a. Mirrors Community based process, expect for reduces sanctions and time limits
i. Riverside Middle School Process
1. All social studies teachers did a mock trial and taught about the court process so all students could see the process
2. Pull students from social studies class to be part of the jury
3. Defendants from previous case is on the jury
4. A teacher volunteers to be the judge
5. Little work on the schools part
6. Thursdays 7th hour when there is a case
b. Started in November 2008
c. Held 9 trials to date
d. To date only one student has re-offended
i. 11% recidivism rate
e. 2 weeks for completion time: This time limit is based on the needs of the school
i. Riverside Middle School chose this time because they did not want a long lapse between the time the crime occurred to the time the sanctions were received and completed.
f. Mandatory: 1-5 service to community sites or in-school hours, 1 jury term
g. Optional: Essays, Apology Letters, Additional Projects
h. Some additional projects to date:
i. One student who was caught smoking had to watch a health video about the affects of smoking and wrote a reflection.
ii. Working with the janitors
iii. Working with tech-ed teacher
i. Acceptable Offense: Persistent disobedience, Persistent disruptive behavior, Failure to follow a reasonable request, Persistent lateness/truancy, alcohol possession/consumption and minor drug possession, fighting, harassment, vandalism, theft
j. Unacceptable Offense: Gant related fights/offenses, weapons possession, sexual offenses, violent offense.
i. Might tend to be criminal offenses
ii. More serious in the school district
k. ** Generally same in both community and school-based program
l. Always up for consideration depending on the school
v. Advantage for School Administrators and Teachers
1. Serves as a constructive and restorative disciplinary alternative that empowers youth and teachers creative problem solving skills
2. Increases youth awareness of rules and expectation that apply to them at school
3. Allows staff to focus on more serious offenders
a. Example: Gang related offenses
4. Negative behavior receives a more meaningful consequence
a. Don’t just get detention or suspension
5. Through early intervention, eventual reduction of behavior incidences
6. Quick turn around, cases should be schedules within one week
a. Will get a call that there is a case and is scheduled with in the week.
vi. Advantages for Student Volunteers
1. involved in governing their schools, allows them to set boundaries on acceptable behavior in school
2. Allows for students to have ownership of the program
3. Law related education
4. Enhanced public speaking skills
a. Play attorney or bailiff roles
5. Provides an asses for college/job applications
6. Builds problem solving skills
7. Provides a means of service to community credit, sometimes required for graduation
8. Opportunity to connect with other students
a. Have noticed that jury members frequently do not know the defendant
vii. Advantages for Offenders
1. Provides a means for student to hear from their peers why their behavior is unacceptable and how it affected others
2. The student is held responsible for their behavior and provided with constructive means to restore justice
3. Personal problems or issues are sometime revealed
a. Example: parent figure my think stealing is okay
4. Precursors to delinquent behavior are addressed
5. Students stay connected with their school
6. No permanent blemish on their school record
7. Sentence is tailored to each individual
8. Some students/offenders remain involved in the program on a voluntary basis.
viii. Possible Challenges
1. Effective communication of program goals to entire school community
2. Work with school officials to identify appropriate offenses and sentences in order to ensure that everyone has the same goals
3. Identify sanctions for non-compliance with the program
a. If ticketable offense the student would receive the ticket
b. Detention or suspension
4. Identify programs that are already established within the school as possible sentencing options (tutoring, mentoring, student orgs)
5. Ensure there is program support throughout the school, from the administration down to the student body
6. Keep in mind confidentiality of students, their records, and the laws surrounding these issues.
a. Jim Schultz expressed that confidentiality has not been broken at the school.
f. Discussion regarding presentation
i. How School Based Teen Court was introduced to the Riverside Middle School
1. Monica and Jessica presented to the faculty
2. Right after presentation brought together the social studies faculty to see what their thoughts were.
a. How it was perceived
b. How little work there was for the staff
3. Put together plans
a. What would be sanctions
b. What would be appropriate referrals
c. Work out logistics
d. Must admit to the crime
ii. How School Based Teen court was introduced to Watertown High school: Presentation to the Assistant Principal and then a presentation to the entire staff.
1. Can be done in anyway
iii. Comments/Concerns with program
1. What If….
2. Can We……
a. As long as it’s restorative we can do it
3. Flexible with what the school wants
iv. Now have a usable middle school model
v. Working towards a high school model
vi. How were police involved
1. Talked with school liaison officer
a. Notified him that if there is non-compliance that the referral may come back to him
g. Check In’s
i. Victor DeNoble will be in town May 4, 5: talking about affects of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana on the brain
1. May 4th
a. 8:30 am: Watertown
b. 1:00 pm: Lake Mills, Johnson Creek attending
c. 3:00pm: Discussion regarding tobacco prevention
d. 5:00pm: Parent presentation
2. May 5th
a. 9:00 am: Whitewater, Palmyra-Eagle attending
b. 11:15pm: Service provider presentation
c. 1:30pm: Fort Atkinson, Cambridge attending
h. Search Survey results are in and will be coming out to the schools in May
i. June 5th Topic: Skit or video about designated driving issues & Partnership assessment tool