PA Juvenile Justice System Launches Family Involvement Work

With the recent (November 2009) publication of the monograph Family Involvement in Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System, the state has emerged as a national leader in improving the partnership between families and the juvenile justice system.

The monograph was provided to all participants at this year’s Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Conference in early November. The conference also hosted its first ever Family Involvement keynote session, which was presented to an audience more than 300 attendees. The keynote featured a panel of the following offering their perspective on the benefits of improving family involvement in the juvenile justice system:

• Wendy Luckenbill presented on the newly published “Family Involvement in PA” JJ monograph.
• Susan Blackburn presented on the juvenile justice philosophy of Balanced and Restorative Justice and its affinity with family involvement.
• Sandra Moore, the administrator of Pennsylvania Courts‘ Office of Children & Families, presented on the PA Supreme Court’s Permanency Practice Initiative, which is leading statewide adoption of family involvement practices related to delinquent and dependent children.
• The Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Steve Suknaic from Dauphin County presented on the county’s Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) program, a unique approach to partnering with families of children involved with the court.  With Steve were individuals (two youths and a father, Troy Tate) who have been touched by the Dauphin County Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) program and now help other families access this program.
• Keith Snyder, Assistant Director, Juvenile Court Judges Commission, hosted the panel.

Next Steps:

• Regional Forums on family involvement in juvenile justice coming in spring 2009.
• A Family Resource Guide to juvenile justice in PA and pilot family involvement training for county juvenile probation offices, which is being developed through a John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Models for Change Action Network grant.

More Information:

• Family Involvement in Juvenile Justice Monograph – download it here or order a copy using this form.
• Family Group Decision Making processes actively seek the collaboration and leadership of family groups in crafting and implementing plans that support the safety, permanency, and well-being of their children.
• PA Supreme Court’s Permanency Practice Initiative – Promoting Family Group Decision Making, Family Finding, and Family Development Credentialing