Greenwich Juvenile Review Board

1. Greenwich Juvenile Review Board WELCOME!

2. The Juvenile Review Board • What is a Juvenile Review Board? • Why have a Juvenile Review Board? • What are the goals of the JRB? • Where does the JRB fit into the Juvenile Justice System? • How does the JRB work?

3. What is a Juvenile Review Board?

4. A Juvenile Review Board is a group of local professionals, including: • Police • Youth Service Workers • Social Workers • School Officials • Juvenile Court Officials • Clergy • Community Members who meet regularly to offer juveniles and their families a positive alternative to the Juvenile Justice System.

5. Greenwich Juvenile Review BoardMission Statement The mission of the Juvenile Review Board is to offer juveniles a community based positive alternative to the juvenile justice system through personal responsibility and accountability, intervening in a variety of ways to prevent future crimes and restoring relationships with victims.

6. Why have a Juvenile Review Board?

7. Balance & Restorative Justice To understand the importance of having a JRB, we need to understand Balance & Restorative Justice. Balance refers to: • resetting the scales of justice that are upset with the commission of a crime, and • balancing concern for all (victim, offender, &community). Restorative Justice refers to: • rethinking the needs which crimes create, and • to expanding “the circle of stakeholders…beyond just the government and the offender to include victims and community members” (Zehr,2002).

8. Victim/Offender/Community Shared Interest Offender Victim Community

9. Summary “Restorative justice requires, at minimum, that we address victims’ harms and needs, hold offenders accountable to put right those harms, and involve victims, offenders, and communities in this process.” Howard Zehr

10. What is the goal of the JRB?

11. The Juvenile Review Board provides a diversion from the Juvenile Justice System and designs alternatives that: • Promote accountability for ones actions • Encourage personal transformation • Offer support for integration into the community • Consider the needs of the victim Through these factors the JRB can accomplish our goals to: • Reduce recidivism rates in Greenwich • Connect area youth and their families to local resources and services Personal Responsibility, Rehabilitation, Education, Deterrence, Prevention, Empower Families, Utilize Community Resources

12. Where does the JRB fit into the Juvenile Justice System?

13. JRB Community Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Justice System Criminal Justice System Criminal Justice System School Home The JRB is available to intervene and offer the child an alternative to avoid the Juvenile Justice System.

14. PROCESSING OF A JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CASE POLICE ACTION DIVERT FROM COURT (no record) RELEASE & ISSUE SUMMONS PLACE IN DETENTION TRANSFER TO ADULT COURT HANDLING DECISION DETENTION RELEASE HEARING DETAIN JUDICIAL NON JUDICIAL RELEASE RELEASE WITH ORDERS REVIEW HEARING DISMISS WITH WARNING SUPERVISION TRANSFER TO ADULT COURT PLEA HEARING SUCCESSFUL UNSUCCESSFUL DENY DISCHARGE (no record) PRETRIAL SUSPENDED PROSECUTION DRUG DEPENDENCY SUSPENDED PROSECUTION SCHOOL VIOLENCE ADMIT NO AGREEMENT DISMISS (auto erasure) TRIAL DRUG COURT DIVERSION CONVICTED NOT DELINQUENT (auto erasure) SUCCESSFUL UNSUCCESSFUL PREDISPOSITIONAL STUDY & REPORT DISPOSITION HEARING DISCHARGE (no record) DISMISS WITH WARNING PROBATION SUSPENDED COMMITMENT COMMITMENT TO DCF 18 months/4 years(SJO) residential facility/CT Juvenile Training School

15. How does the JRB work?

16. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE JUVENILE REVIEW BOARD All of the following criteria must be met: • Prior to the juvenile’s 17th birthday, s/he committed a criminal offense. • The offense is not a felony. • The juvenile has not previously been referred to the Juvenile Review Board or the Juvenile Court. • The juvenile admits responsibility for the offense. • The juvenile and the family agree to the referral to the Juvenile Review Board.

17. FACTORS CONSIDERED BY THE POLICE IN THEDIVERSION DECISION • Seriousness of the offense • Role of the juvenile in the offense • Prior police involvement • Age of the juvenile • Attitude of the juvenile • Attitude of the family • Availability of the appropriate diversions

18. Officer investigates a crime Successful completion Discharged Unsuccessful completion Juvenile Court Juvenile Review Board Procedure Police Referral Arrest & detention for serious crime Juvenile Court Issue Summons Refuse Meet with JRB Case Worker Complete Intake Paperwork Discuss JRB option with family Juvenile Officer Eligible & Appropriate Reviews Report JRB meeting Meet with family Offer diversions Refuse Decline Refer case back to police. New Summons served.

19. Steps in the Process • Arrest & summons issued • Referral to JRB Coordinator from GPD • Via police report • Intake at Court • JRB Explained • Confidentiality waiver signed • Intake form filled out • JRB session scheduled • Family given student questionnaire & parent evaluation forms to be returned • JRB members scheduled • Grades & attendance records are provided by school • JRB session held • Contract is signed with diversions stipulated • Case manager takes over and monitors progress as needed • 3-months later, case is closed. • Successful: Resolutions met and no court involvement • Unsuccessful: Diversions not met; referred to GPD and summons for Juvenile Court is reissued. Court is notified of prior JRB involvement.

20. Example Diversions are: • Counseling • Family • Youth • Community Service • Journal of Good Decisions • Restitution • Mediation • Letters of Apology • Essay or Poster • Positive After School Activity • Improving Grades • Following parents rules at home • Decrease of office referrals at school • 100% attendance at school (expect for excused/sick absences) • Attend a Closing Review

21. Mock JRB Session

22. Success stories of the JRB Of the clients who have been a part of the JRB process since Oct. 2008, only four have failed to complete their contract. Two of the four were able to say that the JRB Program gave them every opportunity to be successful but that they did not use the resources offered to them both by the school Social Worker, the school counselor, and their case manager. A few successes were especially noteworthy…

23. Sam H. Sam H. was arrested for assault on another student while riding the school bus. This client was able to develop his anger management skills and learn to diffuse a situation that another student created and bring it to the attention of his Social Worker who met with both parties and helped them to resolved their differences in a healthy manner. Client also joined an Anime Club and was awarded certificates of recognition for his academic progress and social achievements at the end of his junior year.

24. Ethan A. Ethan A. was able to volunteer at the Arch St. Youth Center and completed his community hours there. He also wrote a poem based on his experience with stealing and was asked to be a member of the board at Arch Street which he gladly accepted.

25. Nicholas R. Nicholas R. committed himself to improving his grades in all of his classes and working more closely with his teachers at G.H.S. Client was able to reduce the number of unexcused absences from the time his contract began till it ended three months later on June 10, 2010. Client was also able to increase his GPA overall during this period of time.

26. Jonathan A. Another client, Jonathan A. is presently active in completing his contract and has begun a new club at Greenwich High School for skateboarders. Twelve (12) students have signed up and met. They also have an adult advisor who is helping them to design a new indoor skate park for the town and will try to pursue this possibility in the near future.

27. Discussion & Questions ?