"To provide supervision "To provide supervision "To provide supervision and rehabilitation to youth and rehabilitation to youth and rehabilitation to youth and families while providing community and families while providing community and families while providing community protection, victim restoration protection, victim restoration protection, victim restoration and youth redemption." and youth redemption." and youth redemption." Westmoreland County Westmoreland County Juvenile Court Juvenile Court The Honorable John J. Driscoll, Administrative Judge The Honorable John J. Driscoll, Administrative Judge and and The Honorable Michele G. Bononi The Honorable Michele G. Bononi 2771 South Grande Blvd. 2771 South Grande Blvd. 2771 South Grande Blvd. Greensburg, PA 15601 Greensburg, PA 15601 Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: 724 Phone: 724 Phone: 724-830 830 830-4200 4200 4200 Fax: 724 Fax: 724 Fax: 724-830 830 830-4257 4257 4257 Website: Website: Website: www.co.westmoreland.pa.us www.co.westmoreland.pa.us www.co.westmoreland.pa.us
Transcript
"To provide supervision "To provide supervision "To provide supervision and rehabilitation to youthand rehabilitation to youthand rehabilitation to youth
and families while providing community and families while providing community and families while providing community protection, victim restoration protection, victim restoration protection, victim restoration
and youth redemption."and youth redemption."and youth redemption."
Westmoreland CountyWestmoreland County
Juvenile Court Juvenile Court
The Honorable John J. Driscoll, Administrative JudgeThe Honorable John J. Driscoll, Administrative Judge andand
The Honorable Michele G. BononiThe Honorable Michele G. Bononi
2771 South Grande Blvd.2771 South Grande Blvd.2771 South Grande Blvd. Greensburg, PA 15601Greensburg, PA 15601Greensburg, PA 15601
“The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same”
There have been several impactful changes within our department during the past year, the renovation of our office building, the assignment of a new Juvenile Court Judge and the transfer of all status offense cases from Juvenile Probation to the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau.
Our Office Space: The Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation and Detention Center located at 2771 South Grande Boulevard had been built in 1979, on April 1, 1980 it became the new offices for both departments. At that time we had left our office located in an old mansion on Otterman Street in downtown Greensburg. Over the course of many years, this “new” building became less roomy and continued to decline in meeting standards for appropriate office space. As more staff members joined the Juvenile Probation Team it became ex-tremely hard to work effectively in these conditions. It was decided that a complete reno-vation of the building was necessary to solve this problem.
In order for this renovation to be completed the Juvenile Probation Department packed several hundred boxes full of files and equipment and moved temporarily to the Courthouse, while Juvenile Detention remained at the facility during a huge renovation of the center.
For anyone that has ever moved an entire department even once, it is a major task and to move twice in 14 months was a major undertaking. Upon completion of the renovation, our beautiful new offices were relocated to the lower level of the building, along with all Juvenile Court Hearings before the Court Master. All judges’ hearings remained at the Courthouse.
In spite of all that was involved with both moves, we feel it was well worth our effort. Our new area is spacious and professional and we are very happy to return to our new home.
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New Juvenile Court Judge: The Honorable Michele G. Bononi currently resides as a Judge for the Court of Common Pleas in Westmoreland County in the Family Division. In January 2010, she began hearing Juvenile Delinquency Cases and working with our department.
Judge Bononi is past board president of the Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission and past board vice president of the Health and Welfare Council, and past president and treasurer of Laurel Legal Services, Inc. She has also served on the boards of the Alzheimer’s Association, Greensburg Rotary, the Girl Scout Council, and the advisory board for the Pennsylvania Bar Association Family Law Committee.
Her community service work includes residing as treasurer for Case Management and Supports, Inc., serving on the board of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s executive board for the Women in the Legal Profession.
Judge Bononi has lectured on family law issues for the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Westmoreland Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Domestic Relations Association of Pennsylvania. We are very grateful to be working with Judge Bononi and Judge Driscoll, who is our administrative judge in Juvenile Court.
Status Offenses: In the course of all the transformation over the past year, change never stopped. For several decades, Juvenile Probation received, processed and supervised status offenders. On April 1, 2010, these cases were officially handed over to the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau and now the Juvenile Probation Department supervises only delinquent cases. Charges such as Truancy, School and/or Parent Incorrigibility charges are no longer handled through our department.
Our department continues to strive for excellence by completing comprehensive Aftercare and Reintegration Plans and Services for youth in placement. We are also involved in the planning of a Risk-Needs Assessment Tool to implement in 2011 for youth coming through our Intake Department. This tool will assist probation officers in recognizing the youth’s risk level to protect the community, hold the youth accountable for the offense(s) they committed, and help the youth acquire skills that will assist them in becoming a productive citizen.
We have had an extremely busy year in 2010, and are looking forward to new initiatives in the future!
Sincerely,
Addie Beighley Westmoreland County
Director, Juvenile Probation
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On October 20th, 2010, a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held to officially open our newly renovated center. Family Court Judge John Driscoll stated the center is a “break with the past”, describing the old center as cold and severe; the newly transformed $4.2 million dollar facility is welcoming and warm. Not only will our Probation Department be housed here, but detention, shelter, and a
behavioral health unit will eliminate transporting youth for mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations. The center, the first of its kind in the Pennsylvania is heated by a geothermal heating and cooling system.
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The past year has enabled the Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department to develop new and exciting programs. Jeannette’s Senior High School Principal, Stuart Albaugh, approached our Department about beginning a Peer Mediation Program. To date 16 students have been trained to address disputes between students. Mediators are trained in restorative practices, and students are empowered to solve their own problems, doing so “with” one another, rather than “to or for” their classmates.
Peacemaking Circles have been conducted with youth and adults all over the county. These Circles are designed to help participants understand the juvenile justice system, understand harm in various ways, along with helping community members understand victims and offenders, and recognize how we are all affected by crime. The probation department also partners with the Westmoreland County Drug and Alcohol Commission on the Greensburg Council on Alcohol and Youth Coalition. This group through grant funding is educating youth on underage drinking, adults about the consequences of providing alcohol to minors, and promotes consistent enforcement of the underage drinking laws among law enforcement professionals. The Coalition consists of youth, law enforcement, school, social service, and community members working together to achieve the goals. For more information on Community Programs please contact, Kris Johnson.
During the summer of 2010, our department was excited to pilot a new project. “Accountability in the Service of Others” was piloted for approximately 9 weeks in the City of Jeannette. Through this community initiative young people involved with the Juvenile Court and the Jeannette Youth Commission came together approximately once a week for either community service work or a restorative
circle process. The initiative was staged at the Jeannette Salvation Army Center. Young people worked on projects such as moving clothing and other donated items, assisting at the local food banks, and painting at the senior and
disabled citizen’s high rise residence. The circle process focused on repairing harms caused by the juveniles. It is the hope that this will culminate in at least one youth willing to participate in a peacemaking circle with their
victim. All youth received a certificate for participation, and two were recognized for their outstanding contributions.
This project may be replicated in other communities, and does not necessarily have to be run by the Probation Department, but could be facilitated by members of the community with assistance or input from
the Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department.
Imagine being in a foreign country, not knowing or understanding the language and not knowing where you are or how to get where you want to be. That is what it is often like for victims trying to navigate through the Criminal or Juvenile Justice System. Terminology and court proceedings can be very confusing and intimidating. These victims did not choose to be in this foreign land; and deserve to have assistance to help guide them. That is where Westmoreland County Victim/Witness Services comes in, serving as a liaison between the victim, the District Attorney’s Office and the Courts. Westmoreland County Victim/Witness Services strive to empower victims of crime in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. This is accomplished by ensuring that all victims of serious personal injury crimes are advised of their rights as afforded by the Victims Bill of Rights and are, therefore, given a voice in the prosecution of their offender. All victims of crime have rights and it is important to ensure that these rights are provided and that victims are given a voice in the prosecution of their offender whether the defendant is an adult or juvenile. Westmoreland County Victim/Witness Services is committed to continuing to strive to provide these rights to the extent possible, but funding issues make this difficult to do. It is our hope that VOJO funding will be restored so that victims of Juvenile Offenders can be provided with the full range of services.
For more information, please contact Amy Garris at [email protected].
During 2010, the Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department continued to participated in a collaborative effort in conjunction with the city of New Kensington known as the “Ride Along Project”. The Police department of New Kensington secured a grant to enhance public safety by improving the communication and cooperation between the police and juvenile probation. A probation officer and a police officer monitor the designated neighborhoods in a marked police vehicle, contacting and interacting with youth in the communities. The “Ride Alongs” take place in the evening hours and have occurred since August 2008. During this time, the Juvenile Probation Department, along with the police department from both municipalities, New Kensington and Arnold conducted curfew checks on juvenile probationers. There were a total of 366 curfew checks performed, and the compliance rate for the year was 60%. This project was made possible by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Our department is looking forward to continuing in this effort to positively impact these communities.
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The reintegration of adolescents from court ordered placement into their natural care setting continues to be priority for all treatment providers. The Westmoreland County Juvenile Court continues to focus on aftercare as being an essential component of treatment planning for all adolescent clients within our care. Reintegration into the care of the biological family or foster parents is considered the primary goal of treatment, working systemically to ensure that the reintegration process is seamless and inclusive to the needs of the client and their family. The goal of Westmoreland County PTSD Initiative is to emerge as a leader in the state of Pennsylvania in providing comprehensive aftercare services for both the client and their identified family. Services are implemented in the hopes that the client and their family achieve a level of reintegration that is conductive to success and decreases the opportunities for recidivism. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Aftercare Initiative ensures adolescent males and females with a history of trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomology, will receive comprehensive aftercare. Extensive PTSD services such as the PTSD Residential Treatment Curriculum (RTC) and individual therapy allow for adolescents placed within residential settings to learn valuable behavioral management components that assist with managing symptoms of trauma. By initiating comprehensive interventions at the beginning of treatment, it is the goal of the PTSD Aftercare Initiative to ensure that the client and their family are prepared to understand and work effectively with managing the impact of trauma. The PTSD Aftercare Initiative provides extensive PTSD and trauma related therapy by a licensed social worker or therapist. Once discharge occurs from the residential program, the program will assist with providing structure in the client’s home environment, along with extensive monitoring and support services, by utilizing the newly developed PTSD Aftercare Curriculum. The curriculum is intended to serve as an additional resource in providing intensive therapeutic and educational support to clients placed into the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Aftercare Program. The Aftercare Curriculum is designed to be used as an eight week structured guide to assist the therapist with continuing effective trauma therapy to their clients, once these clients are in the post discharge phase of the program cycle. The Aftercare Curriculum will only be used once the client has been successfully discharged from their residential placement and have been transitioned into the home of their primary care giver. The curriculum will be shared with a client’s primary care giver to ensure that the therapeutic process is utilizing all immediate support systems for the success of the client. The curriculum was designed to continue to build from Residential Treatment Curriculum. This curriculum will also serve as a means to support the established post discharge goals of the client. It is the goal to increase adaptive behaviors in clients who have experienced substantial trauma within their lives. By increasing adaptive behavior associated with school attendance, safety, pro-social interactions, sobriety, and communication, it is the belief that clients will be successful. Designed to assist the client with identifying how behavior associated with delinquency, self harm, suicidal ideation, incorrigibility, resistance to treatment, and family conflict continues to impact the effects of their current PTSD symptoms within their lives.
Aftercare Initiative
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The curriculum also serves as a guide to assist clients to further explore the primary symptoms of PTSD (avoidance, recollection, hyper-arousal, dissociation, anger, grief) and develop specific strategies to decrease these symptoms. The curriculum broken into eight individual sessions is to be used with the client once per week. There are homework assignments attached to each lesson in the form of journaling; promoting specific insight into that week’s specific topic. The client will also engage in relaxation and guided imagery exercises with their therapist at the end of each session as a means to assist the client with grounding. There are also variations to exercises that may be used with specific trauma related symptoms. It must be noted that this curriculum is only to be used with clients who are involved in the PTSD Aftercare Program and therapists working with a designated client. Currently Adelphoi Village is contracted by the Westmoreland County Juvenile Court to provide this service with funding provided by PA Promising Practice. This curriculum was developed by Deborah Ciocco, Pennsylvania PTSD Project Coordinator, Nick Ashley, Adelphoi Village PTSD Project Manager, and Julie Zubryd, PTSD Aftercare Specialist.
For more information contact Deborah Ciocco: PTSD Project Coordinator at (724) 830-1815 or [email protected].
The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission Annual Awards Nominee
Giles Guisbert for Supervisor of the Year.
Pennsylvania’s
Pennsylvania’s
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
ProjectProject
The Westmoreland County Youth Commission Program assists youth in taking responsibility for their first time offenses. Eighteen Youth Commissions are now serving Westmoreland
County. The Westmoreland County Youth Commission Enhancement Team was developed several years ago with juvenile probation staff and youth commission volunteers. The purpose is to
identify ways in which services may be improved to the volunteer members, the youth, families, victims, and the community. This team established liaisons to every Commission, and created a
standardize 3 hour Orientation Training for every new member. It also provides ongoing training of existing members. Currently we have 136 active Youth Commission Community Volunteers.
In 2009, local commissions heard 115 cases, thus freeing the case loads of the Magisterial District Courts and the Juvenile Court.
For more information contact Michael Sturnick:
Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Supervisor at (724) 830-4200.
201020102010 AAAWARDWARDWARD
Peter Cherellia, Esq. Winner of the 2010 Meritorious Service Award
Presented by the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, November 4th, 2010.
The Westmoreland County CSW Program provides clients with several opportunities to learn, grow, and serve the community while fulfilling their court ordered obligations.
Early 2009, saw the end of another successful season with Overly's Country Christmas. Since 1994, the Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department has worked with Overly’s Country Christmas. Enabling youth to learn team building and life skills. This helps our troubled youth give back and help provide holiday memories and traditions to everyone in the community. This is a major charitable fundraiser that benefits children’s causes.
Overly’s is a nationally recognized holiday light display that has been featured on “Good Morning America” and other ABC, NBC, and CBS affiliated television programs. In 1983, Good Housekeeping Magazine named Overly’s Country Christmas one of America’s Best Outdoor Light Displays. The display features 2.4 million twinkling lights covering 15 acres of the Westmoreland Fairgrounds.
In preparation of the holiday season, youth were able to provide Overly’s a great deal of assistance hanging Christmas lights and splitting firewood. During the season some of our probationers help prepare and serve the food. The most popular treat is hot cocoa! Throughout the winter months juveniles help the Westmoreland County Food Bank by packaging food items that are distributed to several senior citizen groups and WIC participants. As the weather warmed, numerous opportunities became available assisting local communities throughout the county. Areas served include Irwin Borough, Mt. Pleasant Borough, the City of Jeannette, the City of New Kensington and many independent sites such as St. Vincent College, the Salvation Army, churches, libraries, and volunteer fire departments throughout the county.
In 2009, approximately 9,784 hours of CSW were completed. We will continue to provide services to our current sites while seeking new agencies in which to work. We will strive to offer meaningful learning experiences to all our juvenile clients.
For more information contact Anthony Cremonese: Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Community Service Officer at (724) 830-4200.
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AccountabilityAccountability When a crime is committed by a When a crime is committed by a
juvenile, an obligation to the victim is juvenile, an obligation to the victim is incurred. Offenders should make every incurred. Offenders should make every effort to assume responsibility for their effort to assume responsibility for their actions and to restore losses suffered by actions and to restore losses suffered by
victims.victims.
64% of Juveniles Completed Assigned 64% of Juveniles Completed Assigned Community Service ObligationsCommunity Service Obligations
6,694 Hours of Community Service 6,694 Hours of Community Service
were Completedwere Completed $74,432 of Restitution was paid to $74,432 of Restitution was paid to
victimsvictims 77% of Juveniles made full restitution 77% of Juveniles made full restitution
to their victim(s)to their victim(s)
Community ProtectionCommunity Protection The public has a right to a safe and
secure community, including protection from known offenders.
81% of Juvenile Offenders
Successfully Completed Supervision 78% of Juvenile Offenders Complied with their Conditions of Supervision
Competency DevelopmentCompetency Development
Offenders should leave the Juvenile Justice System more capable of being responsible and
productive members of their communities.
79% of Juveniles were employed or in an educational or vocational activity 95% of Juveniles successfully completed a competency development activity
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.
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76%
78%
80%
82%
84%
86%
88%
90%
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Percent of Closed Cases that Paid Restitution Obligations in Full
Percent of Closed Cases that Paid Restitution Obligations in Full
Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice SystemPennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System
“Pennsylvania’s vision for the future of juvenile justice is one that involves “Pennsylvania’s vision for the future of juvenile justice is one that involves every community; assists all victims; supports all families; every community; assists all victims; supports all families;
and helps all juveniles to become responsible citizens.”and helps all juveniles to become responsible citizens.”
“JUVENILE JUSTICE:
COMMUNITY PROTECTION;
VICTIM RESTORATION;
YOUTH REDEMPTION.”
Community Protection Community Protection refers to the right of all Pennsylvania citizens to be and feel safe from crime.
Victim Restoration Victim Restoration emphasizes that, in Pennsylvania, a juvenile who commits a crime harms the victim of the crime and the
community, and thereby incurs an obligation to repair that harm to the greatest extent possible.
Youth Redemption Youth Redemption embodies the belief that juvenile offenders in Pennsylvania have strengths, are capable of change, can earn
redemption, and can become responsible and productive members of their communities.
Furthermore, all of the services designed and implemented to achieve this mission and all hearings and decisions under the
Juvenile Act—indeed all aspects of the juvenile justice system— must be provided in a fair and unbiased manner. The United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions guarantee rights and privileges to all citizens, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, national origin
or handicap.
For Further Information Please Contact:For Further Information Please Contact:
Director/Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Westmoreland County, Adeline Beighley
2771 South Grande Boulevard, Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: (724) 830-4200 ~ Fax: (724) 830-4257
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