Young, first-time offenders headed into the juvenile justice system will soon be offered a new alternative route. This woman will be there to guide them on their way.
The new alternative, New Haven’s first Juvenile Review Board (JRB), targets first-time offenders under 15 years old. If they have committed no more serious than misdemeanors offenses – and the number of those is around 240 annually – come September they may be referred directly by the police to the JRB, and the JRB’s senior case manager, Kyisha Velazquez (pictured).
The JRB is an effort to divert juvenile offenders away from the punitive juvenile justice system, and offer an alternative in which volunteers from the community hear the “case” in a panel setting, and, along with professionals, and, if possible, the crime’s victim.
The idea is to come up with what is called a balanced and restorative justice solution, where the victim is compensated or healed, if possible, the community feels safer, and the offender, through a tailored plan of work, counseling, and intervention feels more positive about the future. Although there are some 500 such programs nationwide, and many in Connecticut, said Velazquez, this is New Haven’s first, and according to Valazquez, who has experience with the criminal justice system from both sides, very long in coming, and necessary given the increasing youthfulness of many offenders in the city today.
The Independent sat down with Velazquez at her 370 James St. office to learn more:
NHI: Who are the principal movers behind the JRB, and how’d it come about?
KV: The police, courts, the whole community is behind this, and it’s about year in coming from discussions with the prime movers that include Barbara Fair of People Against Injustice, Attorney Michael Jefferson, Karrol Ann Brown, who is an attorney with the NAACP, State Representative Toni Walker, and others. They visited a similar program in Hartford, and got one going here, long overdue. Everyone’s on board, and that’s key, because the word is “community.” I guess, to an extent, it was spurred by the killings of the young people here in New Haven two summers ago. Everyone feels there needs to be an alternative to punitive justice for kids so young.
NHI: How does it work?
KV: Each is different. Ours will get referrals right from the police, say if a kid steals a bike. Then, if he agrees, he goes before a panel, with the victim if it’s possible. The panel has 7 people, four community volunteers from all walks of life and 3 agency members, one each from the police, schools, and the state’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCF), which is the funder. They come up with a plan, say the child might work in a bike store and fix up a bike and return it to the victim. Each offender gets a plan tailored to them, interventions. The idea is for the victim and the offender, the youth who commits what is called the “harm,” not crime, to walk away both feeling better, and for the community to have a more positive vision. Right now, everyone calls the police and wants to put people away. Right away, whereas in the “old days” a neighborhood took care of matters more … coherently. Eventually, schools and parents with kids out of control, for example, might be able to call us directly. Everyone feels the community needs to have an alternative that’s positive, restorative in spirit for all. That’s what this is about.
NHI: Who conducts the panels?
KV: That part will be taken care of through Community Mediation. The first boards are being set up beginning in mid-September, and our liaison with the police is Sgt. Rick Rodriguez, who’ll be referring the first kids to us.
NHI: Eventually parents can too?
KV: Yes, and schools. Some model programs work with schools directly in dealing with truants, for example. We may too in the future. We know that 89 percent of kids who commit misdemeanors also have truancy issues. These things are connected. I’m very passionate about this.
NHI: Why is that?
KV: I was Julian Ellis’ counselor at Job Corps when he was shot, a day before he was to leave for job training in Massachusetts. And a week later, another client of mine was shot. I couldn’t take it any more. The juvenile justice system, which I know well, is not solving this problem. The JRB offers another vision that’s positive and that gets in there early. Some of these kids have no idea of consequences. If they confront victims early on, they can change. Our case workers, like myself, follow the kids and the plan. We provide sponsors, mentors, anger management counseling, whatever help we can. The Street Outreach Workers Program, also headquartered here, can also play a part. There are lots of resources to deploy. It’s exciting because this is a new model for us in town, one where we can be far more creative than the courts, a healing model, potentially, for all involved, not a punishing one.
NHI: And anyone can volunteer for the panels?
KV: Absolutely. We have currently about 37 community volunteers from all walks of life, ages, races. They fill out a questionnaire and we interview them briefly. The only experience required is believing in the spirit of this approach. And it’s set up to be convenient; there will be four four-hour panels per month, one during business week, one in the evening, and two on Saturday morning. The panels help devise the plan or what’s called the “diversion contract” for the offender.
NHI: What are some examples of what they include, these plans?
KV: The components could be but not limited to community service; mediation with the victim or others regarding what led to the offense; a formal apology to victim; restitution to victim or the community, or both; counseling; home restriction; supervision by the JRB caseworkers, like myself. If there is violation of the contract, and it’s serious, the case can be referred back to the court system, but that’s obviously not the aim. The police are just waiting for us to be operational, which will be next month.
NHI: Why restricted to age 15?
KV: Eventually, we’ll be able to raise the age, as we take on more staff, as necessary. As well as the sources of referral. We will be getting the word out to the schools, through the Street Outreach Workers, and other means how positive this could be for all involved. A big part of this is that if the offender embraces the program fully, the police report is ripped up. It never happened. That’s key, because we were all young and did stupid things, and if not remedied it can haunt you your whole life in terms of jobs and much else. I know. I was in trouble too as a kid. I firmly believe everyone, if given a chance and the guidance and structure, can turn themselves around. I’ve been on board for five weeks only and it’s absolutely beautiful to see the number of people volunteering, not just for the panels, but to be mentors and sponsors; to take a kid, say, to a baseball game. That type of thing.
To volunteer as a JRB panelist or to participate in another way, the contact is Kyisha Velazquez at New Haven Family Alliance, Inc., 786‑5970. Or email her here.
