COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE FY 2005 ANNUAL REPORT JULY 1, 2004 – JUNE 30, 2005 MISSION STATEMENT THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS ENHANCES PUBLIC PROTECTION BY CHANGING THE DELINQUENT THINKING AND BEHAVIORS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS COMMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT Michael D. Branham Director Table of Contents Message From Director Michael Branham Moving Toward Reform CRIPA…………………………………………………………………………………. 04 Rehabilitating Youth Staff Development & Training…………………………………………… Safe Schools………………………………………………………………………. Education……………………………………………………………………........ Medical & Behavioral Health……………………………………………… Ensuring Justice Attorney General Liaison…………………………………………………… Restorative Justice & Victims’ Rights……………………………….. Youth Rights………………………………………………………………………. Quality Assurance………………………………………………………………. Inspections & Investigations…………………………………………….. 06 07 09 11 13 14 15 16 17 Transitioning to Community Community Corrections…………………………………………………….. 18 Serving our Community Communications & Legislative Policy……………………………….. Spanish Interpreter & Translator……………………………….…….. Speakers’ Bureau……................................................... Media Highlights…………………………………………………………………. Facility Tours………………………………………………………………………. Community Grants…………………………………………………………….. Governor’s Task Force on Juvenile Corrections Reform….. Constituent Services…………………………………………………..…….. Volunteer Programs…………………………………………………………… Websites…………………………………………………………………………….. Newsletters………………………………………………………………………… 23 24 25 26 27 28 28 29 31 33 34 Celebrating our Champions Honors Ceremony……………………………………………………….…….. 35 Advancing Knowledge/Planning for our Future Human Resources………………………………………………………………. Fiscal Management……………………………………………………………. Strategic Planning……………………………………………………………… Research & Development………………………………………………….. 36 37 38 40 Leadership Director & Deputy Director Biographies……………………........ 49 ADJC Executive Staff………………………………………………….…….. 50 ADJC Directory…………………………………………………………………… 51 2 Message From Director Michael D. Branham Young people in the state of Arizona face many challenges as they prepare for their futures; their education, employment, and the contribution they will make to the communities in which they live. Their health and safety are among their greatest concerns. Taking office March 11, 2004, after serving for five months as the Interim Director, I had many ideas on how to improve the futures for some of our youngest citizens- our state’s at-risk youth. Many reforms, as well as an ongoing commitment to improvement, were necessary. Significant changes were made this past year as a result of the reform efforts prompted by the investigation into our state's juvenile correctional facilities. The Department received its second report from consultants hired to assess the Department’s compliance with the Memorandum of Agreement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the State of Arizona. The agreement was signed in September 2004 in response to a Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) investigation that began in June 2002. The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) faired very well in the second of six total semi-annual evaluation reports. The agency achieved improvements in key areas in all three facilities covered under the Agreement. The number of areas that received a substantial compliance rating improved from 22 in the first monitoring report to 64 in this second report. The ‘substantial compliance’ rating is the highest rating given by the consultants. I am grateful for the extraordinary support from Governor Napolitano, the Arizona State Legislature and child advocates who participated in, and are committed to, improving our juvenile correctional facilities. The successful transformation of the Department is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of the many committed, professional, and often heroic, employees who devote their time and talents to the juveniles in our care. They are the dedicated stewards of our state’s at-risk youth. We will continue to provide the best recruitment, training, management, and support necessary for our employees to remain committed to our vision- “Safer Communities through Successful Youth.” ADJC is working hard to transform the culture of the agency to one in which all areas of the organization work collaboratively to promote successful youth. I look forward to the continuing partnership efforts that help to serve the citizens of Arizona. Thank you for your dedication to making a difference for Arizona’s youth. We remain committed to the future; your commitment to continuous improvement helps to further our collective goal to make ADJC a national model for juvenile corrections. ~ Michael Branham 3 Moving Toward Reform CRIPA The U.S. Department of Justice Investigation of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections On September 15, 2004, Governor Janet Napolitano and Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the United States, Bradley Schlozman, signed a Memorandum of Agreement aimed at correcting constitutional deficiencies found by the Department of Justice during a series of visits to Arizona’s juvenile correctional facilities in 2002 and 2003. The investigation was conducted in response to three suicides at Adobe Mountain School between April 2002 and March 2003. The Department of Justice is authorized to conduct such investigations and to initiate litigation, when necessary, by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). The Memorandum of Agreement is in effect until September 15, 2007, but it allows for portions to be dismissed earlier upon a showing of consistent compliance for 18 months. The Agreement was the culmination of several months of negotiations, preceded by the Department’s efforts in numerous areas to address the problems spelled out in the Justice Department’s January 23, 2004 report to Governor Napolitano. The Memorandum of Agreement between the United States Department of Justice and the State of Arizona concerning Adobe Mountain School, Black Canyon School and Catalina Mountain School acknowledges the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections’ (ADJC) complete cooperation with the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice also recognizes in the Agreement that the State of Arizona had “already begun to implement a plan that is designed to institute a significant number of the measures required by this Memorandum of Agreement. The State embarked upon a course of improvement before it received the United States’ letter of findings and conclusions.” ADJC has continued to aggressively pursue the improvements required by the CRIPA Agreement, and its efforts have begun to bear fruit. • The Memorandum of Agreement is divided into four substantive sections: Suicide Prevention, Juvenile Justice, Special Education, and Health, which encompasses medical, dental, mental and behavioral health issues. • The Juvenile Justice section concerns general conditions of confinement, staffing, juvenile grievances, and programming for juveniles. • The Memorandum of Agreement provides for regular visits by a four member Consultants’ Committee designated by the parties and for that Committee to issue a progress report every six months. Members of the committee are Russell Van Vleet, M.S.W., Chair, former Director of the Utah Division of Youth Corrections, and auxiliary professor of Social Work at the University of Utah; Lindsay Hayes, M.S., National Center on Institutions and Alternatives; Peter Leone, Ph. D., professor of education at the University of Maryland; and Louis Kraus, M.D., a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and Chair of the Department of Adolescent Psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center. 4 Moving Toward Reform In developing a strategy for the transformation of the Department envisioned by the Agreement, Director Branham and ADJC senior management concluded that permanent reform would depend on an approach in which the CRIPA Agreement was not the central focus of agency effort. Instead, the Memorandum of Agreement was integrated into ADJC’s strategic plan, which, in turn, is the cornerstone to create a new organizational culture that will solidify the gains made during the CRIPA compliance process and ensure their continuity long after. The Consultants’ Committee issued its First SemiAnnual Report on March 15, 2005. Its findings were summarized in the introduction: “Arizona is developing a very solid base not only for responding to this settlement agreement but for providing an expectation of professionalism that will ensure that incarcerated youth in the care of ADJC are safe from harm and the recipients of strong rehabilitative programming within each of the ADJC facilities.” The report divided the Agreement into 137 separate sections and rated each of them. Twenty-two areas were found to be in substantial compliance, 91 in partial compliance, only 9 in non-compliance, and 14 were not rated during the first reporting period. As the second reporting period began and the fiscal year drew to a close, ADJC staff were working hard on all areas of the Agreement, along with making the changes to the culture of the organization that would ensure success. The Second Semi-Annual Report, issued on September 15, 2005, assessed the previous six months of the year. The Consultants’ Committee found that the agency achieved improvements in key areas in all three facilities covered under the Agreement. The number of areas that received a substantial compliance rating improved from 22 in the first monitoring report to 64 in the second report. Seventy-one areas were found to be in partial compliance and only one in non-compliance. There were no areas that were not rated in the second reporting period. The remaining area in non-compliance requires ADJC to interview parents and patrons in an effort to improve services and incorporate their suggestions. This will be accomplished within the next rating period. Progress highlights during the second reporting period include: improved educational and medical services, improved quality assurance and inspections and investigations, and improvement in the juvenile grievance process. To view the complete U.S. Department of Justice reports visit the public website’s direct link to the CRIPA reports: http://www.azdjc.gov/CRIPA/Reports/CRIPAReport2.pdf http://www.azdjc.gov/CRIPA/Reports/CRIPA_Agreement_Report.htm 5 Rehabilitating Youth Staff Development & Training The Staff Development and Training Division provides both in-service and pre-service instruction to all agency personnel. The current administration brought Staff Development and Training to the forefront of the Department’s agenda in FY’05 resulting in several changes within the structure and the leadership of the Division. Notably, during FY’05, 11 Academy classes were conducted and 155 new employees successfully completed the Pre-Service Academy training. In May 2005, after a year in the development and design stages, the Division implemented the Field Training Program. The program provides an in depth, hands on training experience within the safe school facilities for all newly sworn Youth Corrections Officers (YCO). Upon successful completion of the Pre-service Training Academy, the YCOs complete a two-week assignment with a certified field training officer (FTO) who mentors and coaches the YCOs through the practical application of the skills learned in the Academy. To date, the agency has trained 63 field training officers. Five academy classes have successfully completed the Field Training Program with a completion rate of 100% and a retention rate of 87%. The Department of Justice’s involvement with ADJC, and the corresponding assistance from national consultants, prompted the agency to revise its current policies and training in Suicide Prevention and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. The agency’s goal was to have 90% of the facility staff trained in Suicide Prevention prior to implementation of the new policies. The Staff Development Division provided the curriculum design and the scheduling and delivery of training to all personnel who have direct contact with juveniles. This resulted in 97.2% training completion rate agency wide. In addition, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention classes were scheduled several times a month at each of the safe school facilities. The Staff Development and Training Division continues to develop other pertinent courses to ensure the safety of the juveniles in our care while fostering professional development of ADJC employees. 6 Rehabilitating Youth Safe Schools Over the past 12 months, ADJC’s Safe Schools Division has focused on improving the basic operations of the Department’s secure care facilities. These improvements have addressed staffing and training, operational processes, and the Department’s physical plant. Safe Schools- Staffing & Training Field Training Officer Program As mentioned in the previous section, ADJC implemented a field training officer (FTO) program that provides new Department employees with two weeks of structured mentoring and hands-on training from specially trained senior officers. The FTO program is intended to improve the safety of facilities by increasing the skill level of new employees and to reduce turn-over by providing new staff with greater support. At the conclusion of each new employee’s FTO training, a scenario-based skills test is administered to ensure all new staff can demonstrate the basic skills needed to provide safe and effective supervision to juveniles. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention One of the cornerstones of ADJC’s operations is the ability to effectively verbally engage juveniles, de-escalate juveniles in crisis, and gain compliance. The Department’s primary technique for verbal intervention with juveniles is Cornell University’s Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI). TCI training provides staff with a 24 hour, interactive, course in understanding and intervening as juveniles escalate toward violence. During the past year, ADJC has committed itself to retraining all juvenile contact staff in TCI techniques. To date, 10,152 hours of training have been conducted. Youth Corrections Officer III In June 2005, ADJC established a new Youth Correction Officer III (YCO III) position in each housing unit. These positions were established to improve housing unit operations by providing more effective supervision of staff. Prior to the addition of the YCO III, each housing unit had only one supervisory position overseeing 12 staff on a twenty-four a day/seven day a week basis. YCO IIIs serve as shift leaders overseeing the operation of their housing units when on duty and provide direct supervision to each unit’s YCO I positions. The addition of the YCO III position has also filled a vital link in the career path for youth corrections officers, providing a first supervisory experience for officers. Youth Program Officer III ADJC has been funded for an additional Youth Program Officer III (YPO III), case worker position in each housing unit. Case workers are a critical component of ADJC’s juvenile treatment system. They work in consultation with psychological associates to provide juveniles with regular assessments, individualized case plans, and group treatment services. As ADJC has dramatically improved its assessment and case planning systems, the workload of case workers has grown in proportion. The addition of a third YPO III to each housing unit reduces YPO III caseloads from 12 juveniles to eight juveniles, making these improvements possible. Adobe Mountain School 7 Rehabilitating Youth Safe Schools Process Standardization In July 2005, ADJC made a number of changes to the basic operating practices of its facilities. These changes impacted the use of exclusion for juveniles, communication practices, unit health and safety inspections, the establishment of shift leaders, procedures for showers, unit cleaning, juvenile movement, and tool and sharp object accountability. These changes improved the safety of ADJC housing unit operations by providing better supervision to juveniles, improving teamwork through greater consistency, and ensuring the use of best practices. Physical Plant Improvements Suicide Prevention Remodeling ADJC continues its efforts to make its facilities resistant to juvenile suicide. Over the past 24 months, 16 units were renovated for suicide prevention. These efforts have continued with the remodeling of the Kachina Unit at the Adobe Mountain School in the summer of 2005 and will continue with the Crossroads and Journey Units. The design of less extensive modifications to six other units has been completed and construction will begin in late fall 2005. New Health Unit Adobe Mountain School’s (AMS) health program must meet both the health and dental needs of over 300 juveniles housed at AMS and provide comprehensive health assessments for the over 645 males committed to ADJC each year who will move to one of the other three safe school facilities. AMS’ current health unit is housed in a 21 year old modular building that is well beyond its useful lifespan. To provide an adequate setting for these health services within ADJC’s budget, one AMS housing unit is being converted into a health unit through extensive renovations. Construction is scheduled to be completed early in 2006. Black Canyon School in Phoenix Eagle Point School in Buckeye Catalina Mountain School in Tucson 8 Rehabilitating Youth Education Jessica’s success story: Jessica was at Black Canyon School from April 2002 through October 2003, and released on her 18th birthday. While at BCS, she received her GED and began taking college courses through Rio Salado Community College. The following is Jessica’s message to BCS Education staff: “The reason I am writing this email is because I am going to be 20 next month and I want to thank the BCS Education staff for offering me college classes. When those were done, I signed up for more and then the next thing I know I’m graduating from Central Arizona College last semester with my Associate Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice. So I wanted to thank Education for all their time in helping me achieve the goal of getting my GED and starting my college credits. A special thank you goes out to Cheri McCall, C.C. and Santilli, all the Recreation staff who were my biggest help in keeping me on my toes after release, with all the advise given to me. Thanks again!” - submitted by Jessica’s Parole Officer FY’05 was an eventful year for the ADJC Education Department. By directive of the Arizona Department of Education, Adobe Mountain School, Black Canyon School, Catalina Mountain School and Eagle Point School ceased being nongraded secondary schools and became graded K-12 schools. Moving to a graded system was a monumental undertaking which involved enhancements to the ADJC YouthBase system in order to streamline data collection of student information. Enhancements to YouthBase included a new grade input system, automatic transcript development from the grade program, expanded assessment windows and reports, improved attendance data collection, and several new reports to help maintain the reliability of the data being entered at each school and interfacing with the Student Accountability Information System (SAIS). SAIS is the Department of Education’s system used to track student attendance, enrollments, and withdrawals. A new Social Studies curriculum was adopted in 2005. Materials included new textbooks written for diverse learners with instructional tools for varying academic levels, workbooks on CD ROM, maps, warm up activities and books on tape for low level readers. A new Science curriculum will be adopted in 2006. The GED Examiner position was created to allow the agency to test juveniles as they are ready, without having to wait for designated testing times with an outside examiner. In the past year, the number of ADJC juveniles testing, retesting and passing the GED has increased dramatically from previous years. The first testing session by the new Examiner was conducted on October 20, 2004. From that date through the end of the summer 2005, 215 juveniles successfully completed the entire test battery and received their GED diplomas. All ADJC schools have been monitored for Special Education compliance issues in the past year. Eagle Point School has been found by the Department of Education to be 100% compliant with Special Education and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) laws and regulations. New policies and procedures for special education are now on the ADJC public website. Child Find, the Arizona program developed to identify all children from birth through age 21 with delays or disabilities, is also on the website. Additionally, the ADJC Special Education stipend was designed to compensate Special Education teachers for managing a caseload in addition to providing individualized instruction to Special Education students. Juveniles receive educational instruction in the computer lab. 9 Rehabilitating Youth Education Engaging Youth to Learn Practical Skills—Vocational Education In 2004, Director Michael Branham challenged the ADJC School Superintendent, Dr. Judith Lanphar, to develop and implement a vocational education program that would address the needs of the juveniles in our care. Data collected and analyzed by the agency’s Research and Development Division showed that for fiscal year 2004, 77.5% of ADJC juveniles had intellectual/educational deficits and 92.4% had school behavior problems. More recent data collected from newly adjudicated juveniles entering ADJC for the second quarter of calendar year 2005 tell a more specific story. Of the 200 newly adjudicated juveniles, 47.5% were identified as needing special education and lacked an interest in school. Fifty nine percent of juveniles were truant on an excessive basis, and 55.5% had serious problems with discipline. Only 40.5% of juveniles stated that they had post high school education goals, and about half or 51.5% stated they have a positive attitude towards school. Under the leadership of Dr. Patricia Moreno and the schools’ principals, each secure care facility now has a vocational education program that is not only responsive to each juvenile’s needs, but also encouraging for the students and staff who participate. Before textbooks, software, and workstations could be purchased, students completed a survey from which high interest areas were identified, such as Automotive, Carpentry, Electrical, and Cosmetology. Principals and Vocational Education teachers advocated for the program to succeed and by the end of the 2004 year, most of the secure care facilities had a Vocational Education program in the beginning stages. In addition, teachers were certified in their respective areas and a selection criteria for students was developed. Workstations in the identified areas of vocational interest were purchased through state and federal grant funds. Workstations provide a hands-on learning experience for the students and the Juveniles practice carpentry at a vocaexperience of working in teams. Workstations also reinforce tional workstation. classroom learning. Students gain an understanding of a particular math or reading concept in a classroom and then effectively apply it when working at a workstation. To date, the various workstations at each secure care facility increased from just a year ago. Adobe Mountain School (AMS) will have eight workstations to include Plumbing, Electrical, Residential Wiring, Carpentry, Small Engine Repair, and Automotive (brakes). Catalina Mountain School (CMS) will have six in the same technical fields and Eagle Point School (EPS) will have seven in Automotive (brakes), Carpentry, Construction Measurement, Bricklaying, Cement Mason, and Refrigeration. Black Canyon School (BCS), the only female facility, will have AC/Refrigeration, Electrical, Small Engine Repair and Tile Setting by Spring 2006. BCS will also offer a six month Culinary Program in partnership with Rio Salado Community College. This program parallels the model used at the adult corrections Perryville facility and will consist of classroom instruction, Director Branham and guests enjoy a kitchen experience, commercial baking techniques, and princi- meal prepared by students in the Culinary Arts program at Black Canyon ples of food and beverage service. School. 10 Rehabilitating Youth Medical & Behavioral Health Medical Services In the Medical Services area, two important projects have been completed. The first was a project designed to improve the sharing of clinical information between Behavioral Health and Medical Services Staff. As a result, each Secure School Health Unit now maintains a complete Mental Health file on each juvenile in need of such services. This is a discrete document that contains all of the original entry notations made by the Psychiatry and Psychology personnel at each institution as well as all previous evaluations and pertinent mental health information from outside sources. This newly activated documentation file will ensure that all treatment staff who have a “need to know” will be able to document their specific juvenile treatment interactions and read other staff's documentation in this centralized record. The second project was the formulation of an agency-wide Medical Services Quality Assurance/ Improvement Procedure, which has clarified existing and/or created new monitoring activities. The procedure includes an examination of qualitative and quantitative data collection, adherence to agency policies and procedures, adherence to professional standards, an examination of Medical and Behavioral Health Services (i.e. medical, nursing, dental, psychiatry, and mental health), and an evaluation of the skills of the Qualified Health Care Professionals (QHCP) and Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHP) providing care to juveniles at each of the safe school locations. Behavioral Health Services In Behavioral Health Services, significant improvements have been made in the area of rehabilitating juveniles, largely by establishing an improved method for evaluating the specific needs of each juvenile and conducting appropriate case planning as a result. The Criminogenic and Protective Factors Assessment (CAPFA) was introduced in April 2005. The CAPFA provides a comprehensive picture of the juvenile in terms of his or her delinquent activities and beliefs, and also includes a review of the positive and non-delinquent aspects of the juvenile’s life, which could then be built on for successful rehabilitation. The CAPFA has been in development for a number of years, and is based on a model that has been successfully utilized in other states. The CAPFA covers 12 different areas, (e.g. Medical, Mental Health, School, Employment, Family, Alcohol and Drug Use, Aggression, Sexual Offending, Social Influences, Use of Free Time, Skills, and Attitudes & Behaviors). An initial CAPFA is completed with a juvenile when he or she is newly adjudicated to ADJC, and is re-assessed every 90 days until the juvenile is discharged from ADJC’s jurisdiction. As there are many dynamic, or changeable, items on the CAPFA, it is designed to capture progress that the juvenile makes in the different areas. The CAPFA is closely linked in ADJC’s database system to Continuous Case Planning, a method that was introduced a month after the CAPFA in May 2005. The Continuous Case Planning system utilizes the CAPFA information to assist the Multi-disciplinary Team working with the juvenile to develop a case plan of needs that the juvenile has to work on before successful rehabilitation. The case plan is based on the “Therascribe” program, a heavily researched planning system assisting staff and the juvenile with Goal, Objective, and Intervention options in mapping and addressing the needs of the juvenile. This will identify treatment programming and interventions that can effectively assist the juvenile and is to be reassessed and updated on a monthly basis. 11 Rehabilitating Youth Medical & Behavioral Health Prior to the introduction of the CAPFA and Continuous Case Planning systems, intensive training was conducted with all staff who will be involved in assessing juveniles and developing case plan strategies. This included all Psychological, Case Management, Supervisory, and Community staff, with extensive follow-up being conducted with all of those staff to ensure understanding. The training also incorporated Motivational Interviewing and overview training was conducted with Executive and Administration staff. With the CAPFA and Continuous Case Planning system now fully utilized with all juveniles, attention turns as part of the ADJC Strategic Plan to upgrading and improving the quality of treatment programming being utilized with juveniles. Further major initiatives included the Director signing the Suicide Prevention Policy, and the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Procedure into operation. The Suicide Prevention Policy was written to delineate specific procedures and documentation to ensure proper identification of juveniles’ needs including screenings, assessment, interventions, levels of supervision, housing, reporting, follow-up, and employee training needs for all disciplines, e.g. Psychology, Nursing, Case Management, Security, etc. The Multidisciplinary Team Procedure established a process to evaluate the progress of each juvenile in its care on an on-going basis. The MDT includes representatives of all ADJC disciplines, including the Secure Care staff, Community Parole staff, and families of the juveniles in our care. Consistent with the Arizona Department of Health Services’ practice improvement protocol, ADJC has embraced the Child and Family Team (CFT) practice, which is comprised of the same representatives as the MDT, with the addition of specific service providers. Kellie Warren, Psy.D, assumed her responsibilities as Director of Clinical Services on August 9, 2004 under the direction of Deputy Director Dianne Gadow. Dr. Warren is responsible for all medical, psychological and psychiatric services for the Department. Specifically, she oversees all clinical services within ADJC secure facilities and Community Corrections. Dr. Warren previously worked in Newark, New Jersey at the Community Education Center where she was the Director of Treatment at a state-of-the-art children’s residential treatment facility and on-site school, which serves up to 212 adolescent males between ages 12-21 years of age with serious behavioral, severe mental health, sexual offending, fire-setting and developmental disorders. Dr. Warren was responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive quality treatment program designed to meet the clinical needs of all residents. Dr. Warren’s previous work experience includes providing treatment services to juvenile sex offenders at the Ohio Department of Youth Services. Dr. Warren worked as a Treatment Administrator, Clinical Administrator, Psychology Assistant, Mental Health Therapist and Psychology Trainee. Dr. Warren holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Central State University, and a Doctor of Psychology degree from Wright State University. 12 Ensuring Justice Attorney General Liaison As part of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections’ Legal Systems Division, the Office of the Attorney General Liaison (AGL) consists of the Attorney General Liaison, a Paralegal and a Legal Secretary. All of the staff members are new to the Office in FY’05. The function of the Office of the AGL is to serve as a resource to the entire Department on legal issues and questions, respond to all legal inquiries, maintain litigation information, communicate with outside attorneys and courts, respond to public records requests, coordinate all legal aspects of Juvenile Civil Commitments, give guidance to staff who have been served with court subpoenas or summons, attend court hearings with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, and assist with the creation, revision and review of ADJC Policies and Procedures. The Office of the AGL coordinates with the Attorney General’s Office in all legal aspects on Juvenile Civil Commitments under A.R.S. § 8-272. This includes collaborating with ADJC clinical staff, local hospitals, the Department of Health Services, and the Arizona State Hospital regarding mental health legal issues. Because of the complete turnover in staff during FY’05, the Office of the AGL coordinated training with ADJC’s clinical staff, legal staff and members from the Phoenix and Tucson Offices of the Arizona Attorney General. The training agenda included a comprehensive review of the legal aspects, expectations and statutory requirements when ADJC petitions for a 72 hour psychiatric inpatient evaluation or long term inpatient treatment for a juvenile at the Arizona State Hospital. The Office of the AGL is responsible for notifying the courts of the treatment progress of juveniles when the court orders periodic updates in a juvenile’s commitment order. In FY’05 the Office of the AGL developed a tracking system to timely notify the courts of a juvenile’s progress. In addition, the Office of the AGL played an instrumental role in drafting the Youth Handbook which details the legal rights and responsibilities of juveniles committed to ADJC. The Youth Handbook was finalized at the end of FY’05 and is distributed to all juveniles when they arrive at a secure care facility and participate in the Reception, Assessment and Classification (RAC) process. “What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children.” -John Dewey (1859-1952) American Philosopher & educator 13 Ensuring Justice Restorative Justice/Victims’ Rights The Office for Restorative Justice is responsible for serving the victims of ADJC juveniles and for helping to develop restorative programs so juveniles committed to the Department can begin to restore their victims. During FY’05, the Office for Restorative Justice provided 1,158 services to 164 victims of juvenile offenses. Some of the services include accompanying victims to review board hearings, notifying victims of post-adjudication hearings and educating victims on their rights. The Victims’ Rights Unit’s (VRU) Victim Outreach Program was successful in contacting and informing 61 victims of juvenile offenses of their mandated post-adjudication rights. As a result, 46 victims who were not previously aware of their post-adjudication rights were registered with the agency and have since been provided with their rights. Additionally, in order to properly serve the minority community, all notification letters were translated to Spanish and are now distributed in both English and Spanish. A Spanish version of the Victims’ Rights brochure was produced and distributed to the county victims’ services providers. The Office for Restorative Justice developed Victim Impact Panels for juveniles in secure care in order to help them realize the impact of their crimes on their victims. The Office partners with victims of crime to create safe communities by presenting programs that encourage juveniles to be accountable for their actions. The VRU facilitated a clarification session between a juvenile offender and a victim whose husband was killed by the juvenile in a vehicular manslaughter case. This face-to-face meeting required months of planning and preparation, and was a coordinated effort between the VRU and the juvenile’s clinical team. The victim reported getting everything she hoped for from the session and the clinical team stated that the session was a positive experience for the juvenile as well. Partnering with Arizona State University, the Office for Restorative Justice successfully designed and delivered a Skill Builder program to juveniles at Eagle Point School. The program provided juveniles with anger management and decision making tools. These tools will help to prevent future victims when the juveniles return to their communities. In conjunction with Community Corrections, the Office for Restorative Justice participated in two community projects during FY’05. The first project, Taking Pride in What We Do- Partnering to Restore Communities, engaged juveniles on parole, mentors, volunteers and staff who participated in cleanup, painting, and landscaping activities for the Save the Family Foundation of Arizona, and in a Citysponsored clean-up of a Mesa community, in partnership with the Mesa Nuestro Resident Clean-up Sub-Committee. The VRU collaborated with ADJC parole offices, paroled juveniles, APS, Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development, Canyon State Academy, and New Horizons Youth Home to facilitate the project. The other equally impressive community project was the Youth Wild Land Fire Program which was developed by Community Corrections in partnership with the State Lands Department. This unique program involves juveniles on parole and ADJC staff working together to assist the state with the task of fighting Arizona wild fires. While both programs provide the juveniles with a great opportunity to give back to the citizens of Arizona in a positive way, the Youth Wild Land Fire Program also provides juveniles who owe restitution with a means by which to begin making payments by earning a salary for hours worked. 14 Ensuring Justice Youth Rights As part of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections’ Legal Systems Division, the Office of Youth Rights consists of five staff members (two staff at Adobe Mountain School and one each at the other three facilities) who are supervised by the Youth Rights Ombuds Administrator. Formerly known as Youth Rights Specialists, the staff of this unit are now called Juvenile Ombuds, a title that reflects their role as voices for those juveniles who are committed to ADJC’s custody. The Ombuds advocate for juveniles in agency administrative hearings, facilitate the juvenile grievance process, monitor conditions and service delivery systems, investigate juvenile complaints, and advocate for improvements and access to appropriate care. They serve as an important link between the juveniles and the facility staff. In February 2005, ADJC implemented a revised juvenile grievance process. This procedure is at the heart of ADJC’s Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Justice under CRIPA. The primary purpose of a “closed loop” grievance procedure is to enhance safety in ADJC’s facilities by giving juveniles an outlet for their frustration and teaching pro-social problem solving skills. Additionally, such a system allows ADJC to identify and address problem areas. Essentially, the grievance procedure gives juveniles the right to grieve any inappropriate or infringing conditions, behavior, or action of staff, volunteers or other juveniles. ADJC’s Juvenile Grievance Policy states that the Department “shall ensure that juveniles have access to a system of identifying and promptly resolving grievances.” Grievances must be truthful and are confidential; furthermore, any juvenile who chooses to file a grievance shall not be subject to any disciplinary action or retaliation. In December 2004, there were 313 outstanding grievances in the old grievance system, and a substantial number of these were many months old. On September 1, 2005, there were 21 outstanding grievances, and the oldest was 44 days, due to a pending investigation by ADJC’s Investigations and Inspections Unit. Automation is an integral part of the grievance procedure, thus permitting the Youth Rights Ombuds Administrator to carefully monitor the efficiency and appropriate resolution of each grievance that has been filed. In addition to their dual primary responsibilities of advocating for juveniles and facilitating grievances, the Juvenile Ombuds staff assist ADJC by providing training to ADJC staff in the area of youth rights and in processing juvenile surveys for Performance-based Standards (PbS) statistical collection. ADJC measures performance against the national benchmarks established through PbS. Additionally, Juvenile Ombuds staff are responsible for training all juveniles committed to ADJC regarding their rights during their stay in secure care, understanding and accessing the grievance process, and assisting in the orientation process by sharing responsibility for training juveniles based on the new Youth Handbook. Furthermore, the Youth Rights Ombuds Administrator currently serves as ADJC’s resource for compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. “Without the human community one single human being cannot survive.” -Dalai Lama 15 Ensuring Justice Quality Assurance The Quality Assurance (QA) Unit was established to develop a formal process and methodology for data driven decision-making through Quality Assurance activities. These activities include yearly comprehensive audits at each facility. These audits are designed to measure compliance with ADJC policy and procedure and also measure the level of services juveniles in our care are receiving. The audits are used by each facility to evaluate their performance and set goals for improvement. QA is responsible for Performance-based Standards (PbS) data collection. Performance-based Standards for Youth Correction and Detention Facilities is a self-improvement and accountability system being used in 27 states and the District of Columbia to improve the quality of life for juveniles in custody. QA ensures that the PbS data is reviewed, collected and reported, and all reports are accurate, objective, clear, concise and timely. In the past year, QA has conducted comprehensive audits at each facility, participated in two PbS data collection activities, and assisted in the development of internal QA programs designed to collect data and develop appropriate goals for improvement for the areas of Special Education, Medical and Mental Health, and Community Corrections. QA developed facility-based quality assurance teams, with representation from each of the above areas, designed to develop operational goals for each facility in regards to improvement activities. “We need not be afraid of the future, for the future will be in our own hands. We shall need courage, energy and determination, but above all, we shall need faith– faith in ourselves, in our communities and in our country.” -Thomas E. Dewey (1902-1971) American politician, governor of NY, US attorney Juveniles receive classroom instruction in Vocational Education programs. 16 Ensuring Justice Inspections & Investigations The Inspections and Investigations (I&I) Division ensures a safe and secure environment for the employees and juveniles of ADJC through best practices in investigations and inspections services. The Investigations Unit conducts prompt and thorough investigations of all allegations of employee and juvenile misconduct. This Unit has both law enforcement and administrative authority to conduct investigations concerning any allegation of criminal action, misconduct, and non-compliance with state and Departmental rules and regulations. The Investigations Unit is committed to conducting investigations in an objective, unbiased, and professional manner utilizing legal and best investigative techniques. Included in this unit are two K9 officers, whose mission it is to interdict drugs from coming into the facilities, and an investigator who is responsible for the background investigations of prospective employees. The Inspections Unit provides the Director and Deputy Director with accurate and timely information regarding the overall operations of the agency so that practices and processes can be readily evaluated. This is accomplished through random facility inspections and more formalized facility audits. The goal is to create an atmosphere of self-analysis and continuous improvement and to determine if ADJC personnel are in compliance with, and consistently adhere to, agency and national standards, procedures and policies. The Inspections Unit works closely with ADJC’s Quality Assurance Unit in order to promote agency compliance. FY’05 I&I Accomplishments • • • • • • Automated the reporting of criminal and administrative (staff misconduct) cases. Conducted the agency’s first two formal facility audits in conjunction with the Quality Assurance Unit. Performed 58 random inspections, with follow-up inspections, at all facilities. Investigated 358 criminal cases and 192 administrative cases; compared to 2003 when only 117 criminal and administrative cases were investigated. A mandatory review of all crimes occurring in the facilities account for the increased criminal numbers. Project Zero Tolerance, a declaration that all sexual, physical, and verbal abuse is deemed inappropriate and unacceptable behavior, and higher staff accountability, resulted in the increased number of administrative cases. The two K9 Officers conducted numerous random visits to all four facilities checking staff, youth, and visitors for narcotics. Three arrests were made and drugs were recovered. 1,055 staff background investigations were conducted. 17 Transitioning to Community Community Corrections Community Development Initiative On April 26, 2005 the Summit, Circles of Success, Communities of Strength, was hosted by the Community Development Initiative of Arizona (CDI_AZ). CDI-AZ partners include ADJC, the Office of the Governor, Families of Arizona, the Arizona Departments of Economic Security, Education, Health Services, and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. The goal was to develop self-reliant, self-sustaining communities to assist children and their families. This was accomplished through collaboration with state agencies and other external sources of support. The Community Development Initiative (CDI) is fundamentally different because the work is family-led or directed and agency supported, not agency-led and family supported. This dynamic leads to healthy partnerships and strong communities. This initiative requires family and professional commitment and partnership because no one group can do this work successfully without the other. ADJC’s long and medium range objectives are to increase the number of child and family teams; support the needs of parents and staff for language classes; facilitate parents sharing information with other parents about ADJC juveniles and the Department, as well as sharing other helpful resources, and ideas; create a “listserve” for families and communities to have ongoing dialogue; and, to create opportunities for parents to be involved in ADJC activities. Work Program November 1, 2004, Community Corrections established a juvenile work program offering juveniles an opportunity to complete community service work hours, learn employment skills, and pay restitution. Since the beginning of 2005, 327 juveniles have participated in community service projects. Their participation resulted in the completion of 1,517 community service hours and the opportunity to pay restitution. The ADJC Office for Restorative Justice worked with the courts to obtain a Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) to provide funds for juveniles to pay restitution. Juveniles on parole who are ordered to pay restitution are referred to the work program by their assigned parole officer and earn five dollars an hour toward restitution payments. In Summer 2005, an Interagency Government Agreement was secured between ADJC and the State Land Department to establish the Youth Wild Land Fire Program. Camp operation guidelines, call-out protocols, and training curriculum were developed in order to provide supervision to ADJC juveniles and staff assigned to the program. Several of the expected outcomes are for juveniles to work in a camp crew, develop skills in camp support and make restitution payments to their victims. At age 18, successful juveniles have the opportunity to become a member of a "Hot Shot" fire-fighting team. 18 Transitioning to Community Community Corrections ADJC and State Land Department personnel conducted the first Wild Land Fire Program training academy in Summer 2005 for nine ADJC staff members and 15 paroled juveniles. The Wild Land Fire Crew was then deployed to provide water to the homeless in the downtown Phoenix area. Participation in CAPFA ADJC Community Corrections staff spent substantial time this last year learning the agency’s new classification system, the Criminogenic and Protective Factors Assessment, (CAPFA). Staff completed the Family Domain section of the CAPFA with the families of all juveniles in secure care facilities, and completed all 12 domains of the CAPFA for approximately 450 juveniles in the community. This valuable information helped to drive the development of the juvenile’s Continuous Case Plan. The continuum of services defines the agency’s desire to offer a seamless array of services for juveniles to provide a more successful transition back into the community. This transition begins with accurate, timely information for each adjudicated juvenile, from the courts, communities, schools, families, and other interested stakeholders. Community Corrections staff are critical players in gathering this information and in developing the juveniles’ case plan. Community Resource Centers In FY ‘05, the Tucson Parole office was busy. The Tucson parole supervisor currently sits on the Executive Committee with the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona (CPSA) to assist with the delivery of mental health services for all juveniles in Pima, Cochise, and Santa Cruz counties. He works with community partners, parents and the CPSA Networks to ensure program effi ciency and the prompt delivery of services. He also sits on the Tucson Unified School district Site Council to assist with juveniles on parole and juveniles who are at risk for becoming part of the system. The council is working to find alternatives for at risk youth besides dismissal from school. Tucson Parole continues to collaborate monthly with Child Protective Services (CPS) and the CPSA Networks through monthly staffings to ensure the smooth and successful transition of juveniles. A CPS specific caseload is supervised by one parole officer, as is the sex offender caseload. In the role of Juvenile Court Liaison, Tucson parole officers and their supervisor have taken on the responsibility of rotating weekly between placement committee meetings and collaboration meetings to assist other providers and the Juvenile Court in the proper placement of juveniles. The East Valley Community Resource Center continues community outreach as part of their commitment to safer communities. In FY ‘05, paroled juveniles and staff in Mesa were involved with the Save The Family program. Several youth accrued community service hours through this work project. Rural /Interstate Compact Two new Parole offices opened in FY’05 in Santa Cruz and Graham Counties. Rural staff have met with all Presiding Judges and Probation Directors throughout the state to discuss working relations, concerns, and goals. 19 Transitioning to Community Community Corrections During FY’05, Interstate Compact (ISC) provided supervision to 361 juveniles from other states, providing the safe return of 47 runaways to other states, and the safe return of 33 juveniles to Arizona. Interstate Compact has greatly improved the quality of treatment services to ISC juveniles. Youthnet is a confidential and secure Internet site that allows authorized users direct access to the ADJC YouthBase System. YouthBase is ADJC’s primary database system containing legal, social, and treatment information regarding all juveniles in ADJC. Access to this system is especially beneficial to rural counties. In collaboration with the Communications and Legislative Policy Unit, the developers of the site, Youthnet training was provided to all counties requesting access to the program. As a result, overall working relations and communication has greatly improved between ADJC, local court systems, and local probation agencies. Local firefighters volunteer their time to demonstrate firefighting and safety techniques with juveniles at Eagle Point School. 20 Transitioning to Community Community Corrections Reentry Initiative Highlights ADJC’s Reentry Initiative is supported by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Labor and Health Human Services to provide transition services for paroled juveniles in four designated rural counties; Pinal, Mohave, Cochise, and Yuma. The grant funds Reentry Specialists to assist juveniles, families, and parole services to improve juvenile transition to the community in the areas of education, employment, treatment for substance abuse, mental health care, housing, mentoring and community involvement. Reentry Specialists see juveniles in secure care and in the community. They provide assistance with work clothes, transportation, school tuition, books, and volunteer mentoring. Two hundred fifty-five juveniles were involved in the Reentry Project from January ‘05 to June ‘05. Reentry has funded 292 services to juveniles since January ‘05. Thomas’ success story: After spending approximately 11 months in ADJC Secure Care, Thomas performed remarkably while on parole for the past eighth months. Thomas returned to Mohave County with a renewed sense of obligation to his community, family and himself. He has demonstrated his commitment to excel by attending Mohave Community College and maintaining employment while on parole. Thomas has taken significant steps to improve his relationships with his family and the citizens in his community. His attitude, leadership and outlook on life have improved greatly since his return to the community. -submitted by Thomas’ Parole Officer Highlights include: • Obtained, and fully implemented video conferencing equipment through an Inter-Governmental Agreement with the University of Arizona Telemedicine program. Video conferencing allows for families at a distance to attend ADJC meetings, and has a growing number of other applications for the agency, juveniles and families. • Collaborated with community providers to begin early treatment and evaluations with juveniles prior to leaving safe care school facilities. Geographical gaps were filled in and services and new programs were added to serve juveniles and their families. • Provided funding for ADJC Vocational Education Programs in secure care. The Reentry Initiative provided partial funding for vocational supplies and the Culinary Arts teacher. • Increased resources in rural communities. From January ‘05 to June ‘05, the number of community agencies identified to assist juveniles and families in the rural areas increased from 81 to 114. • Increased collaboration with mental health, Child Protective Services, and Work Force Development sites. • Increased employment work-eligible juveniles. • Trained Reentry Specialists in the CAPFA assessments; Reentry funds have been used to assist in the development of the CAPFA. • Increased collaboration with area housing programs helping families to gain more adequate housing. • Reentry funds paid tuition, clothing for school and work, treatment, and training for juveniles. • Reentry Specialists participated in the four-county network meeting for service agencies and various children’s councils. 21 Transitioning to Community Community Corrections Community Services Highlights Community Services continues to provide a wide range of services for juveniles and families in the community. This year, more service providers are seeing juveniles in secure care to improve continuity of care. In FY’05, over 700 service requests have been arranged through the Community Services Department (excluding drug testing). • • • • • • • • • • • • • Funded 672 drug tests from January-September ‘05; Trained ADJC contract providers on the use of the ADJC Provider Manual, which was developed and updated in 2005; Providers met with ADJC staff in two provider forums to display their agencies’ programs; Completed interagency protocol agreements with all four Regional Behavioral Health Authorities; Completed a protocol agreement between Community Services and Child Protective Services (CPS) to improve case management for dependent juveniles in ADJC care; Facilitated Cost Shares with other agencies; Monitored community program contracts; Established an interagency protocol with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and KidsCare to ensure juveniles are covered by the state’s children's health insurance program when leaving ADJC secure care; Assisted with special projects and events for the agency; Participated in the Reentry Task Force sponsored by the Governor’s Office; Participated on the CPS Reform Task Force for Juvenile Justice; Participated in the Department of Health Services Executive Children’s Council; and Participated in the Maricopa County collaborative meetings. Victims’ Rights Rally On April 11, 2005 youth from Canyon State Academy and South Parole assisted the work program by setting up tables and chairs for the Victims' Rights Rally at the State Capitol. Youth also assisted in displaying t-shirts hung on a clothesline. Each t-shirt had a different color and every color represented a different type of crime. All the t-shirts were made by victims of crime. 22 Serving Our Community Communications & Legislative Policy The Communications and Legislative Policy Division focuses on effective communication strategies within the agency, as well as to the citizens of Arizona. Successful communication defines our purpose and function, our interdependence with other juvenile-serving entities, and ultimately, our Department’s responsibility to all stakeholders. The Division performs a variety of functions such as: providing secure facility tours, developing and maintaining the Intranet and Public Website, performing Spanish interpretation and translation services, responding to media inquires, oversight of the Speakers’ Bureau, writing newsletters, and building the annual legislative agenda. Future endeavors include the creation of a Citizens’ Academy, orientation videos, and the formation of a comprehensive communications plan. Legislative Initiatives The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections focused on its budget during the 2005 legislative session. Due to ongoing reforms required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) Agreement, additional funds were requested, and generously granted by the Arizona State Legislature for increased staffing, facility improvements and Youth Correctional Officer pay adjustments. Also during the session the agency sponsored a legislative luncheon that offered Legislators and their staff a glimpse of our current operations, future directions and budgetary needs. Coupled with this effort was an invitation to the Legislature to visit our four juvenile correctional facilities. Interest was high for both of these events and subsequently, it strengthened our relationship with the Legislature. 23 Serving Our Community Spanish Interpreter/Translator The Spanish Interpreter/Translator provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services to ADJC clients for mono-lingual, Spanish-speaking juveniles and their families. Spanish Interpreter/ Translator services began in November of 2004. Requested services from ADJC staff and families of juveniles are received daily. The following Interpretations and Translations services are provided agency-wide: • • • • • • • Interpretation services in secure schools: Superintendent Release Boards, Due Process Revocation Hearings, Disciplinary Hearings, Conditional Liberty Suspension Hearings, Treatment Staffing, Transition Staffing, Reception, Assessment and Classification process, Individualized Education Program Staffing, and Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team Staffing. Interpretation services for Community Corrections: In-home Evaluation Meetings and conference calls with juveniles’ families. Interpretation services for Inspections & Investigations: Assists with grievances in Spanish and calls made to Spanish speaking parents. Translation of the public website and development of the Intranet Spanish language aides link. Translation of agency forms and documents. Translation of the Youth Handbook. Respond to miscellaneous requests, such as, the translation of letters, handouts, and flyers. To better serve our families and communities, a Spanish voice mail greeting was recorded in all ADJC safe schools and at the Central Office. By following the prompts, calls automatically transfer to the office of the Spanish Interpreter. To better assist Spanish-speaking families, the interpreter can now initiates international calls. The Spanish Interpreter works with the Mexican Consulate Office to repatriate Mexican National juveniles. The decisions regarding repatriation are coordinated among the committing county juvenile court, the Mexican Consulate Office, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the ADJC. Since March of 2005, the Spanish interpreter has worked with the Mexican Consulate to provide identification, called, “Presuncion”, for Mexican National juveniles. These serve as a basic ID for the youth for the purpose of re-entering Mexico. Ana Maria Tomchek was hired as the agency Spanish Interpreter/ Translator on November 29, 2004. Mrs. Tomchek comes to us with a wealth of experience in public relations, consultative services, bilingual technical guidance, language translation and administrative expertise. Her prior work experience includes Banner Thunderbird Hospital where she was a patient advocate for almost four years and a Certified Medical Spanish Interpreter for three years. She was also chosen as the Spanish media spokesperson for the hospital. Mrs. Tomchek has also worked for the Texas Department of Human Resources and for the Illinois Department of Public Aid. 24 Serving Our Community Speakers’ Bureau The ADJC Speakers’ Bureau was formally introduced in FY’05 with the purpose of providing the public with an ‘inside look’ at Arizona’s Juvenile Justice System, thereby advancing an understanding of the Department’s work with Arizona’s at-risk youth. The Speakers’ Bureau fosters relationships between the Department and Arizona’s citizens, so that families and communities are strengthened. The ADJC Executive Staff serve as the primary spokespersons. Through our Speakers’ Bureau program, we are able to address the following topics: • The Arizona Juvenile Justice System • Education for Committed Juveniles • Secure Correctional Facility Operations • Legal Rights of Committed Juveniles • Restorative Justice and Victims’ Rights • Community Programming and Parole Supervision • Behavioral and Medical Health for Committed Juveniles • Specialized Treatment for Committed Juveniles • Gender-specific Programming for Committed Females • Internal Investigations and Quality Assurance One of the first criteria for success is that there must be a positive story to tell. Whether it’s about an innovative new program, the wonderful work being done by the staff, or a story about a successful youth. Face-to-face communication offers a degree of credibility not found in most other public relations efforts. Public speaking has a great impact; ideas can be explained effectively, attitudes altered, perceptions changed, and on occasion, audiences can be moved to take action. For more information on the ADJC Speakers’ Bureau, visit our website: http://www.azdjc.gov/Offices/Communications/Speaker/Speaker.htm 25 Serving Our Community Media Highlights August 2004 • The Tucson Arizona Daily Star reported Governor Napolitano’s visit • to Catalina Mountain School. The Tucson Arizona Daily Star reported the STARS Mentoring Project. The project, led by the Pima Prevention Partnership, links mentors to children whose parents are currently in jail or prison. September 2004 • Director Branham appeared on Channel 8 Horizon Show and was interviewed on radio by David Liebowitz regarding signing of the CRIPA Agreement. Catalina Mountain School superintendent, Manny Lopez, appeared on Tucson television station KGUN. October 2004 • Director Branham was interviewed on Spanish television, Tele• • mundo, regarding agency reform efforts. Arizona Capitol Times reported on three ADJC staff who participated in the 3-day walk to fund breast cancer research. ADJC Court Liaison, Esteban Veloz, was interviewed by Spanish television, Univision, regarding our partnership with the Mexican Consulate Office for Mexican National juveniles. ABC News ‘Primetime Live’ ABC News Primetime Live, filming within Adobe Mountain and Black Canyon Schools, profiled nine juveniles committed to the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. A one-hour feature was televised on Thursday, August 4th on ABC News affiliate, Channel 15 in Phoenix, and Channel 9 in Tucson. The program provided a unique insight into the operations of the Department. The country learned about the dedicated work of ADJC staff, and how juveniles in our care confront the many challenges in their lives. November 2004 • Arizona Capitol Times interviewed Director Branham regarding • agency reform, and how the agency gains the trust of the community. La Voz, featured an article about ADJC involvement with the Mexican Consulate Office. December 2004 • Arizona Republic featured the volunteer singing group “Sweet Adeline's” performing at Black • • Canyon School. Director Branham was interviewed on Phoenix Channel 3 regarding the agency’s effort in adopting a needy family for the holidays. ADJC staff collected toys and other items for the children and helped the family with small house repairs and yard clean up. Arizona Capitol Times interviewed newly hired Deputy Director, Dianne Gadow, regarding her focus for the agency. January 2005 • Arizona Republic wrote a series of articles on Girl Power and the AZ Girls Initiative. The Na• tional Girls Initiative was the focus of the Child Welfare League of America’s conference. Buckeye’s Southwest Valley Sun newspaper wrote a three part series on the positive impact of volunteers at Eagle Point School. April 2005 • East Valley Tribune featured the Governor’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year and her support for ADJC to receive additional funding to correct deficiencies as outlined in the CRIPA report. 26 Serving Our Community Facility Tours The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections offers limited access to our secure care facilities when requested by a public entity. Facility tours are conducted for the purposes of educating the public, including the media, on the operation of a state juvenile correctional facility and its treatment of juveniles under our care. This past fiscal year, over a dozen facility tours were conducted, primarily at Adobe Mountain and Black Canyon Schools. The main audience requesting to tour our facilities is Maricopa County Juvenile Court Probation and Detention staff. Equally interested in learning the day to day operations at our facilities are community college students studying criminal justice, social work, or other human services fields. Other groups that have contacted the Department are juvenile court judges, Legislators, Governor’s Office representatives, members from the Governor’s Task Force on Juvenile Corrections Reform, and local business leaders that are interested in partnering with the agency. Artwork and projects, created by juveniles in ADJC secure care facilities, is displayed in the facilities and the community. 27 Serving Our Community Community Grants The Department has been the recipient of several state and federal grants that supplement the ongoing efforts to provide adequate and culturally sensitive programming to the juveniles under our care. Each grant listed below was awarded to the Department during the past fiscal year for one year. • City of Phoenix, Artists in Residence Integrated Arts Program– awarded $2500.00: Essential Theatre provided arts programming as a treatment modality for youth at AMS and BCS. • Arizona Arts Commission, Artists in Residence Integrated Arts Program– awarded $5500: Essential Theatre provided arts programming as a treatment modality for youth at AMS and BCS. • Arizona Department of Public Safety, Victims of Crime Act– awarded $41,313: VOCA funding afforded advocacy services for victims of violent crime, by creating the opportunity for a victim’s “voice to be heard” at every stage in the management of a juvenile offender. • Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Victim Rights Program– awarded $37,900: Funding provided for the consistent delivery of victim notification as required by statute. • Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) After Care– awarded $23,068: Funding provided for paroled youth to receive behavioral health treatment, such as Functional Family Therapy and individual therapy, as well as urinalysis testing. • Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for Safe Schools– awarded $619,334: RSAT funding at AMS, BCS, and CMS provided individual and group substance abuse treatment for youth for a minimum of 12 months assigned to the “Recovery” program. Each treatment plan must develop the youth’s cognitive, behavioral, social, vocational, and other skills to correct the substance abuse and related problems. • Governor’s Office, Division for Children, Juvenile Accountability Block Grant, Aggression Replacement Therapy (ART)- awarded $18,708: ART is a proven model program that has been used to address violence and anger among youth. The program relies on repetitive learning techniques to teach youth to control impulsiveness and anger, and to use more appropriate behaviors. Governor’s Task Force On Juvenile Corrections Reform At the time the Memorandum of Agreement between the State of Arizona and the U.S. Department of Justice was signed into effect on September 2004, Governor Janet Napolitano created the Governor’s Task Force on Juvenile Corrections Reform. The Task Force includes juvenile court judges, as well as professionals in the area of juvenile justice, education, and behavioral health. Currently there are 24 Task Force members appointed by the Governor. During the past fiscal year, the Task Force has met six times to learn and discuss the progress ADJC has made with respect to the areas identified in the CRIPA report. The lead consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice, Russell Van Vleet, has kept the Task Force abreast of areas of improvement by the Department. In addition, ADJC Leadership personnel have made presentations to the Task Force on various operational issues. 28 Serving Our Community Constituent Services The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections has an Office of Constituent Services to make sure all public citizens receive appropriate assistance and responses to their questions or concerns. This office provides a point of contact for the community at large, juvenile justice stakeholders and for families of our committed juveniles so that accurate and timely information is provided when requested. The goal for the Office of Constituent Services is to allow government to be accessible and responsive to addressing citizens’ needs. Internship Program The ADJC provides Internships and Practicum opportunities for students at all levels of study in the following areas: community corrections/parole, secure juvenile facilities, clinical psychology, social work, education, health services, religious services, victims’ rights and in our legal department. An internship introduces students to the ADJC, the juvenile justice system in Arizona and the opportunity to work with at-risk juveniles. Staff, Interns and volunteers contribute to making a difference, with juveniles, and helping them turn their lives around for the better. Interagency Work Groups Interagency Work Group on Teen Pregnancy and STD Prevention was created to define needs and determine the best practices to provide prevention services and information to juveniles most at risk of teen pregnancy and STD’s served by individual agencies. This issue crosses agency boundaries. The need to collect baseline data about teen pregnancy and STD’s, determine the level of knowledge and need for education and training, and collect information on current practices regarding reproductive health care, will lead to recommendations to the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness was created by Executive Order and charged with developing and implementing a plan to prevent and end homelessness in the State of Arizona. This includes evidence-based improvements to programs and policies that will ensure services and housing are provided in an efficient, cost effective, and productive manner. The Executive Order also created an Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness Work Group to support this Council. ADJC has been very involved in the Interagency Work Group and provides leadership for the Youth Development Committee. The focus of the Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness Youth Development Committee is to improve discharge planning for juveniles who are at risk of homelessness and improve or expand support services for juveniles. Areas being reviewed by this committee include: assessing systems to reduce barriers for services for homeless juveniles, establishing linkages, implementing methods to ensure juveniles have appropriate identification documents, improving access to medical and behavioral health, creating or enhancing current youth development services, identifying methods to improve the ability of juveniles to access services on their own, defining and implementing actions to encourage voluntary foster care for juveniles exiting states care at age 18, beginning transitional planning for all juveniles leaving systems earlier, providing support for the proposal of continuing dual adjudication (dependency/delinquency) when juveniles enter ADJC, and reviewing emancipation legislation. 29 Serving Our Community Constituent Services Interagency Work Groups, continued The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections actively participates in the Statewide Youth Workforce Development Policy Work Group which is connected to the Arizona Statewide Youth Development Task Force. The purpose of this task force is to develop a statewide plan so all youth in Arizona are prepared to work, contribute and succeed in the 21st century. As a result, the committee developed strategies to increase workforce readiness skills of youth; demonstrate to the students and teachers the relevance of academic instruction to workplace needs; facilitate ongoing connections among economic development councils, employers (business and industry) and juveniles; increase career exploration and exposure for all juveniles; to reach out and engage all juveniles, especially those who have dropped out of school. Youth Handbook The agency created and published a Youth Handbook for juveniles entering ADJC. Curriculum has been developed for each of the 36 units covered in the handbook. The handbook is thoroughly presented during Reception, Assessment and Classification (RAC) to ensure juveniles clearly understand the expectations and rules of ADJC and answer questions of the juveniles. Currently all juveniles within ADJC have a copy of the handbook and it has been reviewed with each juvenile whether in the facility or on parole. This handbook is published in both English and Spanish. Families The agency has a strong commitment to families and the importance of their involvement in all aspects of the juvenile’s treatment. To continue to emphasize the importance of family, ADJC hired a Family Liaison for each facility through the help of a Parent’s Commission Grant. The Family Liaisons will work to actively engage families in all aspects of service and activities through information, advocacy, support, collaboration and assistance in accessing and navigating multiple systems and service providers. To better communicate with families, a Family Handbook has been created and published for all ADJC families. This is similar to the Youth Handbook, but geared towards families so they better understand the expectations and rules for their sons and daughters. It also answers many questions families will have concerning the facility. This handbook will be published in both English and Spanish. Silvia’s success story: Silvia was released from Black Canyon School in April 2005. In Yuma County, Silvia quickly found volunteer work with the Yuma Humane Society. She contributed 80 hours of her time working with a local veterinarian and assisting staff with the daily duties of caring for the animals at the shelter. Silvia obtained her GED while in secure care and is now taking classes at Arizona Western College. Sylvia continues to comply with her terms of parole. -submitted by Silvia’s Parole Officer 30 Serving Our Community Volunteer Programs ADJC volunteers get involved for a variety of reasons. Among the most often cited are: • • • • • To help others Obligation to give back Religious convictions To make a difference Believe in the cause For these reasons ADJC has an active volunteer force of over 400 volunteers who are committed to the agency mission and vision. Each volunteer knows the difficulties involved with making a successful transition through adolescence and into young adulthood, and each volunteer wants to make a personal commitment to contribute toward a juvenile’s success. Highlights of volunteer activities as reported by the volunteers and the juveniles, are anecdotally supported by ADJC line staff. Without exception, all four safe schools, Catalina Mountain School, Adobe Mountain School, Black Canyon School and Eagle Point School, report volunteer programs that enable one-to-one contact between juveniles and volunteers significantly impact juveniles. Volunteers participate on a variety of levels, enriching the lives of juveniles and contributing to their basic need for adult care, compassion and support. Volunteers keep up the juvenile’s morale; teach them that there are people in the community who care about them, while at the same time imparting pro-social skills and role modeling. All volunteer one-to-one programs have certain basic criteria that have to be met: All volunteers must be 21 years of age, have a valid driver’s license, clear an extensive background check, and provide fingerprints. Volunteers must attend an orientation and any other training as required. Parental or primary caregiver permission is mandatory for any juvenile engaged in one-to-one activities with a volunteer. Time and place of volunteer service is dependent upon the safe school schedule and the program purpose. Catalina Mountain School (CMS) is the home of one of the few Juvenile Corrections dog programs in the United States. CMS boasts three areas of juvenile participation: In conjunction with the Delta Society, the largest animal therapy organization in the country, as well as with Tucson Area Pet Partners, Catalina Canines offers canine companionship for juveniles. CMS treatment teams identify the juveniles who will participate and benefit from the healing qualities shown in clinical studies to reduce anxiety, depression and loneliness. Catalina Canines meet with juveniles every Thursday, and daily during the five semester breaks. 31 Serving Our Community Volunteer Programs Again, in conjunction with the Delta Society, the CMS Animal Assisted Therapy Program offers a one-on-one therapeutic intervention with specific goals and objectives. The program is scheduled and monitored, and progress is measured by CMS psychology staff utilizing a certified owner/ handler team. CMS psychology staff identifies juveniles with special needs to participate. Catalina Pet Care Program is sponsored by the Southern Arizona Humane Society. Since March, 2000, juveniles have been working with dogs that are victims of domestic violence. Eight to 10 juveniles from a different housing unit each semester are chosen by their treatment team. The participating juveniles are enrolled in a nine week classroom course. These 90 minute lessons cover topics such as ethics toward animal life, safety issues, animal cruelty and violence prevention, obedience training, animal handling/grooming and basic animal first aid techniques. The program provides job skills and reinforces the juveniles’ sense of stewardship. Certificates are awarded to juveniles who complete the course. Canines become healers, educators and companions to our juveniles. Juveniles experience the ways a strong youth/canine relationship helps them grow and develop in positive ways, and cope with life’s day to day challenges such as loss, stress, loneliness and illness. Visions of Visits is an Eagle Point School program in which juveniles who do not receive visitation from family or friends may receive visitation from a volunteer. Eagle Point School is rurally located making it difficult for families to visit for lack of reliable transportation, or because of the time and distance required to visit. Some juveniles have no visits because they have court ordered restrictions or because they are involved with Child Protective Services. Local churches, community groups, and businesses provide the pool of volunteers who visit ADJC juveniles. Visits occur with individual juveniles during regular visitation times. Some groups visit during regular visitation times but visit groups of four juveniles at a time. Lockheed Martin employees from Goodyear, AZ, come in on Saturday or Sunday morning and visit up to 15 juveniles at a time. They play games and bring food like other volunteer visits, but on a larger scale. EPS Educational Tutoring utilizes volunteers. Trained reading tutors work with juveniles one-toone. Math tutors for below grade level juveniles come from the Lockheed Martin volunteer pool. Youth in Transition at Black Canyon School provides a case intensive volunteer mentoring program. This one-to-one visitation provides ADJC girls with an opportunity to spend time with Arizona State University student volunteers. These volunteers provide encouragement with prioritizing and setting goals. They share interests and they help problem solve. They become a part of the juvenile’s staffing and carry on the support function through the juvenile’s transition back to the community. Youth in Transition, a partnership with Arizona State University, provides the student volunteers with an experience in the research and evaluation component of the program. The research generated by the program will likely support the belief that volunteer mentors will greatly increase the likelihood that the young women will be successful upon their release and decrease the likelihood that they will return to corrections. 32 Serving Our Community ADJC Websites Key areas developed on the ADJC Intranet The “ADJC Employee Locator” screen contains the employee’s name, job title, work hours, phone numbers, work location, email address, and supervisor’s name. Employees sign in and out daily and submit their daily schedules. Inspections & Investigations Division information includes contacts, inspection overview, inspectors and investigators biographies, and an “Integrity Corner”. The “Integrity Corner” is a teaching tool for employees, containing examples of case summaries and actions taken by the ADJC Administration when an ADJC employee has violated Departmental policy, procedure or state law. Community Corrections contains an overview of Community Corrections, administrator’s biographies, contact information, work project calendars, community programs, and chaplaincy and volunteer information. Education curriculum standards can be viewed via the Intranet for each course offered by ADJC Education. New links include school calendars, education programs, special education information, and district testing information. Human Resources was updated with a new link entitled “Career Opportunities”. This link provides information on how internal and external employees can apply for state positions through the new azstatejobs.gov website. The CRIPA website was developed to keep ADJC employees informed of the agency’s status and progress toward meeting the CRIPA requirements. This section allows employees to review the actual consultant’s documents and reports that ADJC has received. The second section of this website is a secure site which is restricted to viewing by the CRIPA consultants and select ADJC employees. The ADJC Employee Bulletin Board was developed for employees to share information that may not be directly related to the agency. General information and personal good news stories are shared. Development is currently in progress to enable employees to post their stories directly to the bulletin board themselves. 33 Serving Our Community ADJC Websites Key areas developed on the ADJC Public Website Family Resource Information is included on the public website to provide the community with information about resources for families and juveniles within each Arizona county. Education Parent Report Card Request was developed to allow a juvenile, or parent/guardian of a juvenile, in ADJC custody to request a report card via email. Speakers’ Bureau link provides an overview of the function of the Speakers’ Bureau, contact information, and bios of ADJC spokespersons. ‘On the Move’ is the quarterly ADJC newsletter distributed to its outside constituents. The site provides viewers the opportunity to read and subscribe to the newsletter. ADJC Newsletters In an effort to increase the level of communication within the Department, and to outside constituents who have a vested interest in ADJC, two newsletters have been developed. Public constituents, such as juvenile justice commissions and councils, Legislators, Governor’s Office staff, and other community partners receive “On the Move”, the ADJC quarterly public newsletter. This particular newsletter highlights the various programs and projects of key divisions with in the agency. CRIPA updates are often included to keep the public informed of the progress being made, as well as profiles of successful juveniles that have recently been discharged from ADJC. “ADJC Today” is the agency’s internal newsletter that extrapolates important news from the ADJC Intranet Website, and is included in employee paychecks. Line staff at the secure care facilities often do not have the time to read the daily messages posted on the ADJC Intranet Website. The “ADJC Today” is a means to summarize the daily news and upcoming events and to keep all agency staff informed so that they can better perform their job responsibilities. Visit the website at: http://www.azdjc.gov/Offices/Communications/OnTheMove/OnTheMove.htm 34 Celebrating Our Champions Honors Ceremony ADJC celebrated the second annual Honors Ceremony on August 26, 2005 at the Herberger Theater in Phoenix. The event recognized over 120 staff, volunteers, and community providers for exceptional service to the agency during the past fiscal year: July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. Governor Janet Napolitano provided the opening remarks for the ceremony and hosts, Mr. Gerald Richard and the Honorable Helene Abrams, teamed up to announce the awards. The Glendale Police Department Pipe and Drum Band opened the ceremony with beautiful bagpipe music played by musicians in full Scottish dress. Powerful video presentations honoring ADJC military personnel moved the audience. It was a solemn moment when two ADJC employees from Eagle Point School stood on stage in recognition of service of all the ADJC military personnel. 35 Advancing Knowledge/Planning for our Future Human Resources The ADJC Office of Human Resources is entrusted with providing structured, organized, and sound overall strategies, direction and effective management. FY 2005 Accomplishments: • The Youth Corrections Officer III class was developed to provide a new career path, open more job opportunities and ensure program needs are met. The Youth Corrections Officer IIIs are responsible for overseeing Youth Corrections Officer I’s assigned to housing units, and maintaining a safe and secure environment for the juveniles and staff. Youth Corrections Officer IIIs play an integral part in rehabilitation and/or treatment activities. • The revised components of the Arizona Department of Administration’s Personnel Rules were incorporated into the Department’s Delegated Authority Procedure. The modified procedure will assist all levels of management with the daily management of their staff. • The Employee Organization and Solicitation program process was simplified to strengthen the working relationship between the Department’s Executive Management Team and the various Employee Organizations, i.e. AFSCME, and AZCOPS. • The Parole Officer IIs were reclassified to Parole Officer IIIs to provide more diversified program activities to juveniles in the community. • In-depth review of Correctional Registered Nurse salaries within the Department was conducted. As a result, the Department implemented a salary strategy to recruit and retain Correctional Registered Nurses. • A review of the Department’s job classifications was conducted to determine if any of the classes met the new criteria under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Over 20 classes were found to be FLSA non-exempt under the new FLSA laws. The employees affected by the FLSA designation change are eligible for overtime compensation at the rate of one and a half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a given work week. • Your Employee Services (YES) was implemented as a one-stop-shop for employees to review and retrieve information relative to their employment activities within the State of Arizona such as paycheck copies, benefits, wellness, education, training, job opportunities and much more. The objective of YES is to improve employee satisfaction, empower employees and reduce administrative costs. • The number of Human Resource Office staff at Adobe Mountain School was expanded to improve support and enhance services for the safe school facility. 36 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Human Resources Accomplishments, continued: • Developed a Correctional Officer Retirement Plan form to inform the participants of the various benefits offered by the plan. • Implemented a Light Duty reporting system by providing employees with a written notification of the light duty process and their current light duty status. • Implemented the Annual Performance Appraisal for State Employees (PASE) reporting system for management identifying the employees who require an Annual PASE. • Implemented the state’s electronic recruitment process, known as Hiring Gateway, which will assist the Department in filling vacant positions. All hiring lists and supporting documentation is transferred electronically. The new process reduces the time it takes to issue a hiring list to a hiring supervisor. • A new promotional register process was implemented to include a testing process for the Youth Corrections Officer class series. The new process will bring structured consistency to the promotional process for most direct contact positions. • The Recruitment Unit conducted 15 YCO I testing sessions and participated in 19 job fairs in an increased attempt to fill vacancies created by turnover and newly allocated positions as mandated by the CRIPA agreement. Fiscal Management ADJC FY 2005 Expenditures 37 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Strategic Planning The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections is a relatively new agency, but its historic roots run deep. It is a Department that in 1997 completed an ambitious reform effort. Today, ADJC is embarking on a new round of reforms in response to concerns raised by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. These reforms include a number of changes designed to improve safety and security, to significantly improve ADJC’s ability to manage suicide risk, and to improve services to juveniles needing special education or other accommodations. In 1996, the Department began to evaluate the quality of its programs through an annual “Outcome Study” examining the number of juveniles who return to adult or juvenile correctional facilities. The most recent Outcome Study, completed in 2004, found that after three years, 56% of ADJC juveniles had not returned to either the adult or the juvenile systems. The three year measure is significant because a December 1997 study in the state of Washington found that 75% to 80% of the delinquency or criminal behavior that will occur in such a population of juveniles will occur within that initial three-year period. Equally significant, according to the ADJC’s most recent data, fewer than three of ten juveniles were sentenced to adult prison within that three-year period. These results rank Arizona near the top when compared to other states that measure juvenile recidivism the same way. After a long and varied history, the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections stands poised and ready for a bright future of service and protection for the citizens of Arizona, while providing meaningful tools for change to the state's at-risk juveniles. Purpose and Approach The ADJC Strategic Plan provides a clear picture of its future. The plan sets into writing a vision of what the Department will be three years from now. This plan is made up of many short-term goals which are the primary emphasis at this time for the organization. The plan links the Department’s short-term objectives to its long term founding principles expressed in its values and mission. Summary of the Strategic Issues Facing ADJC Over the next three years, ADJC anticipates two major strategic issues: • Continuum of Services • Organizational Culture Change These two important issues, tied to the legislatively mandated Five Year Continuous Strategic Plan, exist to help all ADJC employees, along with those who assist us and those we serve, to better monitor our collective progress. Short term goals are identified in the Strategic Plan and represent important steps by which we will attain measurable, achievable and time bound improvements in the agency. The outcome will be the steady, positive movement of ADJC toward a well run, progressive juvenile justice treatment, education and corrections model for the future. 38 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Strategic Planning Strategic Goal Statement As previously stated, the strategic goals of the organization have been categorized into two areas: providing a Continuum of Services and Organizational Culture Change. Continuum of Services: This issue defines the agency’s desire to offer a seamless array of services for juveniles to provide a more successful transition into the community. The continuation of services begins with accurate, timely information for each adjudicated juvenile from the courts, communities, schools, family and other interested stakeholders. The agency then builds an individualized, personal continuous case plan for each juvenile starting with assessments related to their education, treatment and other factors. A successful process gives each juvenile the tools to overcome challenges, identify strengths and plan for successful reentry to the community. Special emphasis is placed on life-skills, vocational and special education needs, as well as physical and mental health. The agency focused on the following areas to accomplish this goal: • Developed and strengthened the classification, screening and assessment process. • Integrated program services provided to juveniles, based on objective standards and best practices. • Improved the process for transitioning juveniles into the community. • Worked to establish clear expectations, expert behavior management, safe practices, and an appropriate physical plant, to provide a safe and therapeutic environment for juveniles and staff. Organizational Culture Change: This issue addresses the agency’s desire to transform the culture of ADJC to one in which all staff and all units of the organization work collaboratively to promote successful juveniles. It is the role of every ADJC employee to provide a safe, secure and prosocial treatment milieu for every juvenile adjudicated to our custody. From the time a juvenile is entrusted to us, through their return to the community, and on to their successful road to adulthood, we must remember we are professional role models, teachers, mentors and protectors. If the juveniles are to succeed, then we must offer each of them opportunities to aide in their endeavors, while protecting the public and upholding the highest traditions of public service. To reach this goal, the agency will accomplish the following: • Transform the culture of ADJC to work collaboratively to promote successful juveniles. • Transform the culture of ADJC to become a model juvenile justice organization. • Establish clear expectations for juveniles and staff. • Develop and maintain a positive treatment-oriented culture among juveniles, their families and staff. To view the complete strategic plan, please visit our website at: http://www.azdjc.gov/AgencyInfo/StrategicPlan.pdf 39 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development New Commitment Demographic Data Many of the juveniles committed to the ADJC were chronic property offenders and almost all of them had serious substance abuse problems. While efforts were made to identify and build on their personal strengths, many of them had significant intellectual, educational and emotional deficiencies. The following exhibits ADJC’s New Demographic Commitment Data for the fiscal years 2003-2005. 40 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development New Commitment Delinquency Data 41 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Parole Violators All juveniles returning to ADJC from parole are placed on “pending suspension/revocation” status until a hearing is completed. One of three outcomes can occur at the hearing: parole reinstatement, parole reinforcement or parole revocation. The parole reinforcement program was terminated in June of 2004. A juvenile can also be discharged or released, however, that action is initiated independent of the revocation process. Parole revocation results in a juvenile returning to a secure safe school. 42 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Parole Violators 43 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Total Number of Juvenile in ADJC Custody From 2001 to 2004, ADJC secure care school population decreased by 25.3%; however, there was an increase of 14 or 2.2% between 2004 and 2005. A typical ADJC housing unit holds approximately 24 juveniles; therefore this population increase has had serious operational implications. 44 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Length of Stay Served Although most juveniles committed to the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) are given a court-ordered minimum length of stay by a juvenile court judge, the Department has the discretion of keeping a juvenile until they have completed their appropriate program. The table below indicates the average length of stay a juvenile stayed within each status, by gender. 45 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Discharges A discharge is when a juvenile is released from ADJC custody. This may occur for different reasons. A juvenile may become an adult at age 18, be transferred to the adult court jurisdiction, or may have earned an absolute discharge. Arizona Juvenile Crime Trends Official reports portray a mixed picture of the trend in Arizona juvenile crime. On the one hand, the percentage of violent and property crimes cleared by a juvenile arrest has steadily declined. On the other hand, the number of juvenile arrests, referrals and petitions has recently increased. The recent increase in arrests, referrals and petitions can be attributed, in part, to the growth in Arizona’s juvenile at-risk population. 46 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Safe School Population Projection The ADJC institutional population is projected to increase from an average of 607 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 to an average of 728 in FY 2009. During the first 12 months of the forecast period, the projection assumes ADJC admissions will equal the actual number of admissions during FY 2005. Thereafter, admissions are assumed to increase proportionately with the projected increase in Arizona’s juvenile at-risk population. 47 Advancing Knowledge/Planning For Our Future Research & Development Recidivism The latest figures show that 23.5% of the juveniles released from an ADJC Safe Schools in 2003 recidivated within 12 months of their release: 19.0% had their parole revoked, .04% were recommitted to ADJC by a juvenile court and 4.1% were sentenced to the Arizona Department of Corrections. The 2003 release cohort posted an increase (5.3%) over the 2002 releases in the percentage of releases that returned to custody within 12 months. 48 Michael D. Branham Director Michael D. Branham was appointed Director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) on March 11, 2004, after serving for five months as ADJC Interim Director. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Branham served as Executive Director of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, a position he assumed in November, 1999. The Criminal Justice Commission coordinates and facilitates criminal justice programs and policies statewide. Prior to joining the Criminal Justice Commission, Mr. Branham served as the Assistant City Manager/Chief of Staff for the rapidly growing City of Surprise, and as the Chief of Police/Public Safety Director for the Town of Youngtown, Arizona. Director Branham holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management and a Masters Degree in Organizational Development. Director Branham is also a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy and he frequently is a guest lecturer/instructor for a number of colleges and universities. Dianne Gadow Deputy Director Dianne Gadow was selected to serve as the Deputy Director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections in April, 2004 by Governor Janet Napolitano. Ms. Gadow is currently responsible for treatment, rehabilitation, and education programs for all juveniles committed to the Department. Before joining ADJC, Ms. Gadow successfully established major reforms in youth correctional facilities located in Delaware and Colorado. In those two states she initiated public-private efforts that assisted juveniles in community reentry. She improved program services for high-risk juveniles that impacted treatment efficacy and academic attainment. To complement these reform efforts, Ms. Gadow also developed systemic accountability measures. Ms. Gadow holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and Sociology, and a Masters Degree in Education. 49 ADJC Executive Staff Michael Branham Director Dianne Gadow Deputy Director Lou Goodman Assistant Director Legal Systems Debra Peterson Assistant Director Fiscal Management Jim Hillyard Assistant Director Safe Schools (Institutions) Patricia L. Cordova Division Director Communications & Legislation Oly Cowles Program Administrator Community Corrections John Dempsey Administrator Inspections & Investigations Judith Lanphar Superintendent of Education Kellie Warren, Psy.D. Director Medical & Behavioral Health Services “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.” -Walter Lippman 50 ADJC Directory Central Administrative Office 1624 W. Adams Phoenix, AZ 85007 Director Michael Branham 602.542.4302 Adobe Mountain School 2800 West Pinnacle Peak Phoenix, Arizona 85027 Northwest Phoenix Community Resource Center 2802 North 37th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85009 623.869.9050 Superintendent: Joe Jericho 602.233.1667 Supervisor: Sandra Acosta Black Canyon School 24601 North 29th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85027 South Community Resource Center 1122 North 7th Street, #205 Phoenix, Arizona 85006 623.780.1303 Superintendent: Suzanne LaRue 602.462.0941 Supervisor: Barbara Carlstrom Catalina Mountain School 14500 North Oracle Road Tucson, Arizona 85738 Mesa Community Resource Center 555 West Iron, #104 Mesa, Arizona 85210 520.818.3484 Superintendent: Elmar Cobos 480.844.7164 Supervisor: Mike Wilson Eagle Point School 26701 South State Route 85 Buckeye, Arizona 85326 Tucson Parole & Community Resource Center 151 South Tucson Boulevard Tucson, Arizona 85716 623.386.8000 Superintendent: Judy Dyess 520.324.0610 Supervisor: Larry Starks 51 SAFER COMMUNITIES THROUGH SUCCESSFUL YOUTH ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS 1624 WEST ADAMS PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007 PHONE: 602.542.4302 FAX: 602.542.5156 WWW.AZDJC.GOV Michael D. Branham Director