Mar 30, 2012

Dear DJJ Team Members:

Welcome to my weekly letter. Please allow me to share some recent news and announcements.

DELINQUENCY CONTINUES DECLINE: I am pleased to announce that juvenile delinquency has again declined statewide in all major categories with a 10 percent overall drop estimated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011-12. We estimate the total number of referrals to the state’s juvenile justice system may fall below 100,000 this year, which would be the fewest in the agency’s history. Misdemeanor referrals, which had the greatest decline (13 percent), can be attributed to increased use of civil citations and other alternatives to arrest. [Click here for more information.]

RESIDENTIAL SPOTLIGHT: I was deeply impressed during my visit to Falkenburg Juvenile Correctional Facility-Mental Health in Tampa last Friday (March 23). Falkenburg is one of five residential facilities operated by DJJ. Superintendent Vernon Pryer and his team are responsible for high-risk youth with intensive and severe mental health disorders and substance abuse issues. Youth receive individual therapy, group therapy and family therapy. The program incorporates evidence-based treatment such as Thinking for a Change, as well as the concepts of Corrective Thinking, Impact of Crime, Restorative Justice, and Trauma Informed practices. I especially enjoyed visiting the garden and kitchen programs. Thanks to staff members Freddie Anderson, Corey Brown, Gloria Kellon, Ralph Kirk, Glenda Lewis, John Long, Troy Mathis, Michelle Simon and Darron Singleton for so warmly welcoming me. I am so proud of you for helping the youth in your care succeed. Keep up the fine work!

FISCAL REVIEW UNIT: It is vital that DJJ properly accounts for the appropriate expenditure of state and federal funds. The public expects no less of us and other state agencies. To that end, I’m pleased to announce the establishment of a new Fiscal Review Unit within the Bureau of Finance and Accounting. This unit is responsible for fiscal review activities of our grant and contractual service agreements. This unit will be visiting the various programs and reviewing their accounting systems and financial records. The Fiscal Review Unit will not replace contract managers or programmatic monitoring activities of DJJ’s agreements but will absorb a portion of financial oversight activities to lessen the workload on program staff. The unit will strengthen DJJ’s fiscal accountability for contracts and grants and further support our mission by ensuring youth are receiving the services the public pays for. Please welcome the three senior professional accountants who staff the Fiscal Review Unit.

• Condelia “Coni” Ward: Coni is a former DJJ employee who left in 2008 to work at the Agency for Workforce Innovation/Department of Economic Opportunity. She has extensive experience in programmatic and administrative monitoring and with state and federally funded monitoring. She will have coordination and oversight responsibilities of the unit staff.
• Vincent Mokwenye: Vincent is also a former DJJ employee who worked in the Inspector General’s (IG) Office. He left the agency for the private sector with a company that provided fiscal oversight of out-sourced contracts and programs at the Department of Children and Families. He returned to state government to work with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and until recently was an internal auditor in the IG’s Office at the Department of Corrections. Vincent is also a Certified Fraud Examiner.
• Tracy O’Dell: Tracy joins DJJ from the Florida Attorney General’s Office where she was a grants specialist handling the management and monitoring duties of the federally funded Victims of Crimes Act (VOCA) programs. She has experience with the monitoring side of the process, but has also worked as a grants manger. She developed and implemented the VOCA Grant Manager Handbook which is used by AG grant managers and is highly familiar with federally funded programs.

IG KUDOS: DJJ Chief of Investigations Keith W. Morris was notified this week that he passed the Certified Inspector General Investigation Examination, making him a Certified Inspector General Investigator. This professional distinction is administered by the Association of Inspectors General, the national organization that promotes professionalism among those in the IG field. While this certification is not a prerequisite for employment in the IG’s office, it formally recognizes a high level of training and expertise. Congratulations to Keith on this notable achievement.

PROBATION KUDOS: Chief Probation Officer Jennifer Haynes is proud to share a letter from local law enforcement for recognition of Circuit 10 Probation employees for their volunteer service. Jennifer says, “Several staff work every year at the Sebring races. It is a great collaboration with Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.” The letter was sent to Juvenile Probation Officer Supervisor Andrea Conner on March 22.

Ms. Conner:


The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank you and your agency for your participation and assistance in this year’s Mobile 1 12 Hours of Sebring International Race. This year’s race had approximately 150,000 spectators without any major incidents. The outcome could not have been achieved without support from all agencies involved. Again, thank you for your continued support.


Sincerely,

Major Booker Johnson

Law Enforcement Bureau

Event Security Coordinator


The statewide decline in juvenile delinquency is especially gratifying. Data show the changes we are making to reform juvenile justice are having a measurable, positive impact. All employees can feel proud of the success that is improving the lives of our youth and all citizens. Thank you so much for all your hard work.

Sincerely,

Wansley Walters

Secretary

PS: Please send any noteworthy or newsworthy items for consideration in my weekly letter to Communications Director C. J. Drake at cj.drake@djj.state.fl.us or call 850.921.5905. Submissions are considered on a space-available basis and may be edited for clarity and length. Thank you for your cooperation.