SEA GIRT - Twenty-three juvenile detention
officers graduated today from the New
Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission’s
(JJC) Training Academy. Family members,
friends and representatives from the county
detention centers attended the ceremony.
This marks the fourth time the JJC
has conducted training for county juvenile
detention officers. In 1999, the JJC was
authorized by the Police Training Commission
to take over training duties that were
previously provided by the State Department
of Corrections (DOC). Prior to the creation
of the JJC, the DOC was responsible for
delinquent juveniles and officers received
the same training, whether they were assigned
to an adult facility or a juvenile facility.
The JJC trains its own juvenile correction
officers and juvenile parole officers
under the auspices of the Police Training
Commission.
“The
New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission
is pleased to offer this unique training
designed specifically for correction officers
who work with juveniles,” stated
Howard L. Beyer, Executive Director of
the Juvenile Justice Commission who distributed
certificates to the graduates. “As
the single state agency charged to reform
the juvenile justice system, its makes
sense that the JJC provide training specifically
tailored to help officers meet the challenges
and the very different needs of juvenile
residents as opposed to those of adult
inmates. The JJC is proud of its Training
Academy and the state-of-the-art curriculum
that its staff has developed to teach
officers how to maintain a safe environment
for themselves, the juvenile residents
and their colleagues. Ensuring that custody
staff have the knowledge and the tools
to do their jobs to the best of their
abilities plays an important part in helping
the juveniles in their care turn their
lives around. I want to thank the New
Jersey Detention Association, and its
president, Gerald Bowden, for working
with the JJC to make this project a success.”
The six week training course is held at
the Juvenile Justice Commission/Division
of Criminal Justice Satellite Training
Academy. The training of juvenile detention
officers is the result of a collaboration
between the JJC and the New Jersey Juvenile
Detention Association. The counties are
charged $600 per officer to attend the
training which includes an optional residential
component for those officers who live
a distance from the facility. The training
includes first aid/CPR, use of Automated
External Defribillators (AED), the history
of the family court and juvenile justice
system in the State of New Jersey, defensive
tactics and techniques for responding
to the unique needs of juveniles.
There are 17 county detention centers
in New Jersey. On a daily basis, approximately
900 male and female juveniles are being
held in detention awaiting court hearings
and adjudication. In the course of a year,
New Jersey detention centers process approximately
12,000 admissions.
The JJC is the single state agency responsible
for providing juvenile correctional rehabilitation
and parole services. The JJC cares for
New Jersey’s high risk and increasingly
vulnerable youth. The agency has a unique
and pivotal opportunity to redirect the
lives of youth in the Commission’s
custody. The JJC operates 6 secure care
facilities and 22 residential community
homes and day treatment facilities. In
addition, the JJC is responsible for the
parole and transitional services for youth
when they return home from the JJC’s
custody.
“The
Juvenile Detention Officer training program
at the JJC Academy is the result of the
tremendous effort of Mr. Beyer, Executive
Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission,
Mr. Cleary, Director of Training for the
JJC and his staff, and the New Jersey
Juvenile Detention Association. This is
a major step in re-establishing a truly
centralized training facility and philosophy
geared for those professionals dedicated
to working with juveniles,” said
Gerald Bowden, President of the New Jersey
Juvenile Detention Association. “This
graduation further emphasizes the partnership
that exists between the State and the
Counties in providing a continuum of effort
to change the behavior of juveniles who
enter the juvenile justice system so that
they may become model citizens rather
than model prisoners. The State of New
Jersey and its Counties continue to produce
the best trained and qualified professionals
to work with a difficult juvenile population.”
Michael Cleary, Director of the Training
Academy added, “The collaboration
between the JJC and the New Jersey Detention
Association, and the directors of the
individual detention centers is in the
best interest of each organization. We
have the same kids and the same goals
of enhancing public safety and turning
young lives around. Each graduating class
produces a more cohesive system of juvenile
justice in the State of New Jersey. The
men and women graduating today are on
the front lines of the effort. I am proud
of your performance and congratulate each
and every one of you.”
Basic
Course for Juvenile Detention Officers
- Jessie
King
- Atlantic Youth Center - Harborfields
- Patricia
A Garbien
- Burlington County Juvenile Detention
Center
- Leao
L. Price
- Burlington County Juvenile Detention
Center
- Tamika
A Sessions
- Hudson County Juvenile Detention Center
- Molly
M. McCreary
- Middlesex County Detention Center
- Eriberto
Perez
- Middlesex County Detention Center
- Yves
C. Boursignot
- Monmouth County Youth Detention Center
- Jermaine
A. Clay
- Monmouth County Detention Center
- Quaron
A. Crenshaw
- Monmouth County Youth Detention Center
- Paris
Y. Harely
- Monmouth County Detention Center
- Richard
Jackson, Jr.
- Monmouth County Juvenile Detention
Center
- Sara
E. Grant
- Morris County Juvenile Detention Center
- Zakiyya
A. Spencer
- Morris County Juvenile Detention Center
- Raymond
L. Trujillo
- Morris County Juvenile Detention Center
- Robert
E. Chadwick
- Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center
- Michele
M. Patterson
- Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center
- Joe
A. Criado
- Union County Juvenile Detention Center
- Lanita
H. DiMondi
- Union County Detention Center
- Edward
M. Melchionna
- Union County Detention Center
- Michelle
C. Nascimento
- Union County Detention Center
- Leonard
T. Spears
- Union County Detention Center
- Maureen
E. Pester
- Warren Acres Juvenile Detention Center
- Ralph
M. White
- Warren Acres Juvenile Detention Center