JuvenileJustice ReportThe official newsletter of the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice

Summer 2006

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor | Neil Hernandez, Commissioner

For more informationabout DJJ and relatedtopics, visit us online:www.nyc.gov/html/djj

On Monday, August 21st, more than 100 kids at the HorizonJuvenile Center faced off against members of the New York RedBulls first team and the Red Bulls Academy teams in a championshipsoccer clinic and tournament.

The first-ever program featured some of the most recognized pastand present members of the New York Red Bulls soccer team,including Giovanni Savarese and Stephanie Sabaliauskas, whoinstructed juvenile residents on the sport of soccer, game rules,scoring and techniques. The clinic culminated in a championshiptournament between teams comprised of residents, staff and RedBulls team members in the facility’s internal recreation field.

“This first-ever professional soccer clinic featured world-classathletes and enabled kids in detention to experience this excitingsport first-hand,” DJJ Commissioner Neil Hernandez said. “Thanksto the New York Red Bulls, more than 100 young

On Friday, July 7th, the NewYork City Department ofJuvenile Justice hosted itssecond ceremony and receptionof the year commemorating thegraduation of an incoming classof new employees. This gradu-ating class included JuvenileCounselors and a Case Managerwho had completed theirtraining and who have sincebeen deployed throughout DJJ’s facilities to support theagency’s operations.

As in the past, the graduationceremony took place in the

Saval Auditorium at St. John’s University in Manhattan, witha reception immediately following in the Trustees Hall of Fame.

Matthew Sapolin, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office ofPeople with Disabilities, delivered the keynote

On July 18th, the Department of Juvenile Justice held aforum titled “Inside/Outside: The Health and Mental HealthCare Needs of Youth in Detention” at Baruch College Schoolof Public Affairs in Manhattan.

The forum, moderated by Assistant Commissioner forProgram Services, Nina Aledort, focused on youth who aredetained in Juvenile Justice facilities and the array ofchallenges and opportunities they present for health andmental health care providers.

This transient population represents some of the youth athighest risk for future poor health outcomes. Entry intodetention presents an opportunity to assess, treat, educateand connect youth and their families to care in their commu-nities. While much attention has been paid to the healthcare issues facing adults in prison, there has been less of adialogue on the unique issues facing youth in detention.

The event provided an opportunity for community groups,DJJ staff, Judges, stakeholders, advocates, partner organ-izations and medical and mental health providers to begin a dialogue about these and related issues.

Forum presenters offered a range of information on thepopulation and services. Michael Cohen, MD, MedicalDirector, NYS Office of Children and Family

Horizon Kids ‘Kick-it’ With New York Red BullsMore than 100 juvenile residents meet Red Bulls, face-off in soccergame during first-ever youth sports clinic

DJJ Hosts Health &Mental Health Care Forum

Matthew Sapolin DeliversKeynote Address at Classof 2006 GraduationCeremony

Stephanie Sabaliauskas demonstrates soccer strategy for female residentsduring New York Red Bulls soccer clinic.

Commissioner Matthew Sapolindelivers keynote address atgraduation ceremony for newemployees. Sapolin’s dog guide,Compass, looks on.

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Juvenile Justice Report2 Summer 2006

Juvenile Justice Report

Published by theNew York City

Department of Juvenile Justice

Michael R. BloombergMayor

Neil HernandezCommissioner

Scott TrentDirector of Public Affairs

365 BroadwayNew York, NY 10013

(212) 925 7779website: www.nyc.gov/html/djj

people were able to meet recognizable role models andcompete in a positive, fun and exciting soccer competition.”

“Our thanks go to the New York Red Bulls for providing DJJresidents with a well received soccer clinic,” HorizonRecreation Director Earl Knight said.

In addition to providing an innovative recreational opportu-nity for children in detention, the clinic was intended to helpmake a positive intervention in the lives of residents whomight otherwise never have the chance to have personalinteraction with world-class athletes and contemporarysports stars.

In September, the New York Red Bulls will be presenting aclinic for residents in Non-Secure Detention.

In recent months, juveniles at DJJ facilities have been visitedby Craig Pearce, screenwriter for Strictly Ballroom, Romeoand Juliet and Academy Award winning film ‘Moulin Rouge,’urban artist James De La Vega, and magician David Blaine.

address for the ceremony. Commissioner Sapolin detailedthe agency’s mission and the important role the newgraduates would play not only in advancing the agency’s role,but also in positively impacting the lives of the young peopleinvolved in the juvenile justice system.

Sapolin, who was appointed Executive Director of the Officeof People with Disabilities by Mayor Bloomberg in 2002, waselevated to the rank of Commissioner by the Mayor during aceremony celebrating the 16th anniversary of the passageof the Americans with Disabilities Act last month.

valuable insight was provided for both Committees,” NewYork City Council Member Sarah Gonzalez said. “The dayserved to reaffirm my belief that troubled youth can viewthis facility not as a destination, but as a vehicle to a better life.”

The City Council visitors also ate lunch with residents in thecafeteria. Through her leadership, this year the City Councilallocated $1.279 million dollars to DJJ for youth program-ming. Presently, eight community-based organizations areproviding summer and school year programming for youthfocusing on Girls and Boys’ Leadership, Visual Arts, andTutorials in Math and Reading for detained youth before thestart of the school year.

Class of 2006 continued from p.1

City Council VisitsHorizon YouthOn Monday, June 20th, a jointvisit of the Horizon JuvenileCenter took place by members ofthe City Council’s Juvenile Justiceand Women’s Issues Committee,led by Executive Director EdMarcial, which included JuvenileJustice Chair Sara Gonzalez andBrooklyn Council MemberDarlene Mealy, as well as Councilstaff members.

Horizon’s Executive Director EdMarcial said, “We were very pleased to provide an in-depthperspective of our daily operations and insight into thededication of Horizon staff and the positive impact we canhave on the lives of our residents.”

The tour’s focus was to see first-hand the services providedfor detained youth and meet the Department’s committedstaff. The tour included presentations by facility staff andpartners like the Education Department, which wasrepresented by Passages Academy Principal Sydney Blair,Assistant Principal Mike Blake and several DOE staffers.

The Council Members talked to youth and participated in aworkshop in the Special Support Dorm where JuvenileCounselors Lorraine Anderson and Rosalind Smith were onduty, while Sisterlink of Hunter College’s Center for Commu-nity and Urban Health conducted a personal hygiene work-shop for the girls. Both Council Members Gonzalez and Mealyactively participated in engaging the youth along with staff.

“As Chair of the Juvenile Justice Committee, I am pleasedto have been joined by Commissioner Hernandez andCouncilwoman Darlene Mealy, my colleague from theWomen’s Issues Committee. Through interviews with all keystaff members and one-on-ones with program participants,

Horizon Kids continued from p.1Council Member Sara Gonzaleztours Horizon Juvenile Center.

Horizon residents score goals and demonstrate athletic ability during RedBulls soccer clinic.

Juvenile Justice Report 3Summer 2006

byNeil Hernandez

Commissioner’s MessageKids Embrace Diversityat SEEDS SummerFestivalSEEDS presented its fifth annual Multi-Cultural Fair atCrotona Park on August 14th. Featuring tropical flavoredices at the Antarctica table, the smell of jerk chicken, festivebooth displays, colorful balloons, music, and flags fromaround the world surrounding the area as if the UnitedNations had moved to the Bronx. The fair was the premiereevent of the SEEDS summer program.

SEEDS, DJJ’s Non-Secure Detention operation, is comprisedof 18 group homes and provides care to an average 146juveniles a day.

For the past four years, SEEDS has sought to provideinsight and interpretation through the development of theMulti-Cultural parade. The parade has grown significantlyover time and last year changed to a fair. To SEEDSresidents, it is a celebration of cultural harmony and unity.

For the event, SEEDS facilities adopted countries andcultures from as close as Canada, to as far as the MiddleEast. Some of those countries represented included Egypt,Panama, Turkey, Ecuador, Guyana and others. Residents wereresponsible for research and having a clear understandingof the culture, history, religion, geography, meaning of theflag, government, food, dance, and music for those nations.

From their research and creativity, each facility createdinformational booths designed to inform visitors about theiradopted country and culture. Booths were decorated withinformational literature and leaflets, flags, balloons andtablecloths that matched the colors of the flag, and pictureshighlighting the people and geography of each.

The fair ended with SEEDS facilities Outreach (Guyana) andPlimpton (India) performing their adopted country’s nativedance in native clothing.

DJJ thanks Jamel Nedderman and Louis Watts for organiz-ing this event.

I begin my message by thanking all staff for theiractions during the heat emergency. The high temper-atures placed a tremendous burden on the City, andtragically some lost their lives. Despite the challenges,all of you ensured that Agency operations continueduninterrupted for the benefit of our youth and staff.

During the summer, staff also pitched in and helpedprovide summer programming to residents. Theseefforts are being complemented by eight community-based organizations that began in August by provid-ing workshops in Girls Leadership, Boys Leadership,and Visual Arts, as well as tutorials for youth needingassistance with reading and math so they are betterprepared for the upcoming school year.

While preparing for the school year - at both homeand in the facilities – the Agency is also readyingitself to move its headquarters in the Fall. With theinvestments DJJ has been making in staffing, ourranks have grown and the current headquarters needto be upgraded. The new location is a modern andeasily accessible space that will be conducive toproviding better customer service to all employeesand administrative support to enhance services toyoung people.

I look forward to this important milestone for boththe Agency and staff.

Services gave an overview of the health status of youth indetention in New York State. Gail Wasserman, Ph.D.,Director, Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in

Juvenile Justice, Columbia University, spoke on effectivemodels of mental health/juvenile justice collaborations. JimHorne, DO, Medical Director, Pyramid Reception Center andMercyFirst, outlined the issues facing practitioners inproviding a continuity of care of youth both in and out ofdetention. Finally, Farah Parvez, MD, Medical Director,Correctional Public Health Services, NYC Department ofHealth and Mental Hygiene, discussed the public healthopportunities in detention.

The opening address was delivered by Professor JackKrauskopf, who has held several public sector positionsincluding Administrator/Commissioner for the NYC HumanResources Administration, and is currently a DistinguishedLecturer at the Baruch College School of Public Affairs.

More than 100 people attended the event, and joined inlively discussion following the presentations.

DJJ Commissioner Hernandez speaks at Juvenile Justice Forum sponsoredby the Correction Association of New York.

Mental Health Forum continued from p. 1

Juvenile Justice Report4 Summer 2006

Crossroads Residents Author And ProduceOriginal Stage Production, ‘Through Our Eyes’

Later this year, the NYC Department of Juvenile Justice willfind its Central Office headquarters at 110 William Street indowntown Manhattan.

The move is the latest step in a long-term plan to betterserve the public and the needs of DJJ’s young peopleinvolved in the criminal justice system.

The Department’s new headquarters will occupy acommercial building owned by Swig Equities thatwas built in 1958, has 868,000 square feetthroughout 32 floors, and contains major tenants,such as The New York City Economic Develop-ment Corporation, New York City Housing Devel-opment Corporation and American InternationalGroup, Inc.

The move will be implemented in two phases. Onan interim basis, the Department will be locatedon the 20th floor while permanent space isrenovated on the entire 13th floor and part of the14th floor. The Department is expected to remain in itstemporary space for approximately nine months to one year.

Coordination for the move will involve collaboration withmultiple City agencies and vendors, such as the Department

DJJ Moves Its Headquarters To William Street

On August 10th, 28 Passages Academy students at Cross-roads Juvenile Center performed in an original student-written play, “Through Our Eyes.” The play included fivestudent-written plays that were connected through a videomonologue that was shown via rear projection. The produc-tion was part of a comprehensive Summer Performing Artsprogram that focused on project-based learning, includingdance, animation, filmproduction, costumedesign, sound andmusic, art, setconstruction, painting,lighting, and acting.

A teacher andstudent leaderdirected each modeof expression over asix-week scheduleduring the months ofJuly and August.These modes includedfive doors on wheels, each depicting a specific play detailedthrough post-colonial symbolism and visual imagery, twostudent-written original songs, one student-directed musicvideo, three student-directed animated short films, a 36 footmural based on themes from each play, a 500 cardboard boxset that depicted a local urban community and specificlocations from each play, original costumes that were

constructed by Ms. Smith and residents Marlene andShakima. In addition, students collaborated and worked withartists from A.C.C.I.D. and MoMA summer arts programmingon various art projects related to the performance and theconstruction of the set.

In addition, each play was performed live through incorpo-rating video of flashback scenes, animation, acting, modern

dance, Hip-Hopdance and stepdance techniques.More than 72students took partin at least oneworkshop duringthe Summer Perfor-ming Arts programand assisted insome aspect of theproduction.

Teachers whodirected an area

within the Summer Performing Arts project included JohnScott, Gary Johnson, Andrew Brown, Fathia Touray, MichelleWhite, Shawnee Barbosa, Crystal Stewart, Crystal Waiters,Stefan Barbic, and Devin Smalls. The production was part ofa comprehensive program to increase student literacypractices through the performing arts and was coordinatedby Sean Turner and Ron Carter, Assistant Principal.

of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), Mayor’s Officeof Management and Budget (OMB), Department ofInformation and Technology (DOITT), Department ofSanitation (DSNY), Department of Records and InformationSystems (DORIS), Verizon and XO Communications. This

project is being coordinated through the Office ofthe Deputy Commissioner for Administration &Policy.

“The logistics involved in ensuring that all aspectsof this project are timed properly can be over-whelming at times. However, this project presentsa wonderful opportunity for our agency to addressits space needs,” Deputy Commissioner Carlos A.Serrano said. “It is an honor for me to be involvedin advocating and delivering on a much neededresource for our agency.”

In addition to providing enhanced accessibility andconsumer space, the new office venue will offer

countless new shopping, dining and transportation optionsfor agency employees.

The former Central Office at 365 Broadway will be redevel-oped into residential space.

DJJ’s new headquarters at 110William Street.

Resident artwork makes for stellar stage presentation of ‘Through Our Eyes’ at Crossroads Juvenile Center.