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by VJ Vitkowsky | May 31, 2007 1:37 pm

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Posted to: Social Services

Tinney%20Pillsbury.JPG These community leaders are looking for 100 volunteers to serve on Juvenile Review Boards, which they say will give the community an avenue to engage 8-15 year olds who commit minor offenses.

The program, based onthe philosophy of “Balanced And Restorative Justice,” was announced to a group of aldermen Wednesday night by representatives from Community Mediation and New Haven Family Alliance.

Each board will have seven panelists: three government officials and four members of the community. According to Charles Pillsbury of Community Mediations, the government representatives will come from the Department of Children and Families, which will provide funding for the program, New Haven Public Schools, and the police department. The community members will be volunteers. Pillsbury said it is important that the community members outnumber the bureaucrats on each panel.

The board hopes to hear 200 cases a year, with two full time case workers handling a new batch of young people every month. They said they hope to begin hearing cases by July of this year.

Barbara Tinney of the Family Alliance said Juvenile Review Boards have existed in suburban Connecticut towns for over 30 years.

“I’m ready for this,” said Bishop Woods Alderman Gerald Antunes, a former youth services coordinator for the New Haven police department. He said there was a time the department prided itself on catching kids and making arrests, but that those policies promote recidivism—the phenomenon of people getting pulled back into the criminal justice system after their release.

Westville Alderman Sergio Rodriguez said he was concerned the goal of getting 100 volunteers is too ambitious.

“This seems very human labor intensive,” Rodriguez said. He asked if they would consider scaling back the number of volunteers.

“I think folks in our community are looking for avenues and ways to be engaged in young peoples lives,” Tinney said. “So three or four months from now I’m going to be talking to you, Sergio, about the 250-300 people we have volunteering.”

An official announcement to the press is scheduled for June 20 in front of the Church on the Rock. Two volunteer training sessions will be held on June 26 and June 28. For more information about volunteering for the Juvenile Review Board, call Barbara Tinney or Shirley Ellis West at 530-2486, or Charlie Pillsbury at 782-3504.

Comment

posted by: MARYROSARIO on June 4, 2007 3:33pm

great job Charles Pillsbury and Barbara Tinney.I know both of your programs and they have helped so many parents and kids from all over new haven.I do not think your goal is too far out there. I am sure there are enough community people that want to help. I will be calling you.thank you for your work

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