For immediate release: December 21, 2011

Contact: DJJ Communications (850) 921-5900

Tallahassee -- The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Denise Manning as the agency’s statewide civil citation coordinator.

This new position is vital to DJJ’s efforts to reform the juvenile justice system by giving first-time misdemeanor offenders the opportunity to participate in intervention services at the earliest stage of delinquency. By diverting first-time misdemeanants through civil citation, the state is expected to save millions of dollars that would otherwise be spent if youth are arrested and required to go through the formal juvenile justice system.

In her role as statewide coordinator, Manning is responsible for building partnerships with DJJ providers and other community stakeholders to enhance pre-existing civil citation programs and to promote and expand the civil citation process statewide. She is assigned to the Probation and Community Intervention Office.

"While Denise has many accomplishments it is her excitement and enthusiasm for child advocacy that makes her a perfect fit for this position," said DJJ Secretary Wansley Walters.

Manning has worked at DJJ for more than two years, previously serving as the agency’s Transition and Reentry Coordinator for the Second Judicial Circuit. She has also implemented numerous mentoring programs and has served her community through such groups as the NAACP and child advocacy organizations.

"If we can intervene at the early stages of delinquency, we can help shape the future of our youth," said Manning. “I am excited and passionate about this challenge and look forward to promoting civil citation throughout the state.”

Manning is also a U.S. Army veteran and was profiled earlier this year in Tallahassee Woman magazine. Click here to read the profile.

To learn more about civil citation, click here.

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