May 11, 2012

Dear DJJ Team Members:

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

DETENTION KUDOS: This week I was honored to meet with superintendents from our 21 juvenile detention centers. They gathered at the Florida Public Safety Institute outside Tallahassee for a series of meetings that focused on training, detention reform, best practices and management techniques. This was the first such meeting of DJJ superintendents in five years. This week’s activities concluded today with an awards ceremony recognizing Detention employees who demonstrated excellence in their work. Please join me in congratulating the following juvenile justice professionals:


Superintendent of the Year: Dixie Fosler, Marion Regional Juvenile Detention Center (RJDC)


Assistant Superintendent of the Year: Dedilia Finlayson, St. Lucie RJDC


Juvenile Justice Detention Officer Supervisor of the Year: Louise Hill, Orange RJDC


Juvenile Justice Detention Officer II of the Year: Randolph Roberts, Palm Beach RJDC


Juvenile Justice Detention Officer of the Year: Rodney Goss, Southwest RJDC


Support Worker of the Year: George Allen, general services liaison, Central Region


Assistant Secretary’s Award for Teamwork: Daryl Wolf, superintendent at Broward and Palm Beach RJDC


Assistant Secretary’s Award for Teamwork: Kevin Housel, superintendent at St. Lucie and Palm Beach RJDC


Assistant Secretary’s Award for Exemplary Service: Rick Bedson, North Region director and acting director for the South Region


Assistant Secretary’s Award for Outstanding Achievement: Joe Graham, North Region chief


Exemplary Leadership: Assistant Secretary for Detention Services Julia Strange

Pictured above are Secretary Walters (center) with Detention superintendents and senior staff

SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION: In November 2011, Joan “Joni” Wimmer was appointed director of DJJ’s Education office when Terri Eggers retired after serving in that position for approximately 10 years. Joni has extensive institutional and social services knowledge. She began working with at-risk youth 28 years ago as a supervisor for foster care delinquency screening. She has been with DJJ since the agency was created. She worked in West Palm Beach, Stuart, Fort Pierce and Tallahassee before taking a position as an analyst in the headquarters office of Residential Services. There she was promoted to chief of policy and planning, responsible for developing and overseeing new programs and policies. She has also served as a juvenile probation officer supervisor and a program administrator for the Office of Probation and Community Intervention. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Anderson University in Indiana. She recently discussed her goals and plans for the education of youth in DJJ’s care.

Q: What are your goals?

A: We’ve already begun working toward them. The greatest opportunity for our kids is infusing more vocational training and employment opportunities into educational programs. We have been reaching out to the Agency for Workforce Innovation try to bring these resources into closer alliance with our programs. It is also essential for the Education Office to build stronger partnerships with providers and county school boards as we work together toward shared goals.

Q: How are you accomplishing this?

A: First, each program is different, so we have to gauge them individually. We are systematically visiting programs; I intend to visit every program in the state. To be most effective, I want to make those visits with the principals and school board representatives whose expert insight and knowledge about the programs and resources in their area is important. Together we can determine the program’s strengths and how to build on them. If improvements need to be made, we can collaborate on how best to address those needs. Because principals and school board representatives are familiar with the programs and resources in their area, their insight and help are vital to program success and improvement.

Q: What else are you working on?

A: I think it is time we came into the 21st century in handling education records. Right now, youth education records are transferred as hardcopies. When a child leaves a residential or detention program, copies of the records have to be physically delivered to the child’s county of residence. It can take weeks for records to make it into the hands of those who can help a youth get registered for classes, the G.E.D., vocational training, or whatever that young person’s next step may be. This process needs to be improved. We have applied for grants to develop a web-based education transition plan and are exploring creating a data bridge in JJIS [Juvenile Justice Information System]. Having education information accessible in JJIS and transferring records electronically would make youth transition services much more efficient and effective.

Q: I hope we get those grants. Keep us updated in your progress with that.

A: I will. I think our chances are good. If we are awarded, it would be the first time that the Office of Education receives Juvenile Accountability Block Grant funding.

Q: What would you like to say to all DJJ programs statewide?

A: Communicating with the Office of Education is incredibly important. I want to make sure our teachers, principals, school boards and programs are plugged into all the resources available. DJJ has a very small education office with a staff of four, including me, which makes it challenging to get information by reaching out to the 100-plus programs statewide. Therefore, it is important for programs to let me know what is going on. If you tell us your needs, we can prioritize our efforts.

BAY DETENTION: Thanks to community juvenile justice advisory board member Beth Mathis for bringing in Monarch butterfly caterpillars for the facility’s classrooms. Students placed the caterpillars in glass jars and fed them milkweed donated by a local nursery. They watched the caterpillars change throughout their metamorphosis. The youth were delighted when the caterpillars burst from the chrysalis stage, in which they were encased by a green exoskeleton, as beautiful Monarch butterflies. The students released them in the facility’s garden area. It was a wonderful experience for the students and much more meaningful than reading about it in a textbook. As the butterflies were flying away the students talked with each other about all what they had learned. The best part was they did not even realize that they were learning new things; they just thought they were having fun! Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center, in partnership with Bay District Schools and the advisory board, is working to become a Monarch butterfly conservation site and make this educational programming tool available to students throughout the year.

INSPECTOR GENERAL APPOINTMENT: I am pleased to announce the appointment of April Denney as Inspector Specialist in northwest Florida for the Office of the Inspector General, Bureau of Investigations. April fills the position vacated by Keith W. Morris, who was recently promoted to Chief of Investigations at headquarters. April served as an Operations Review Specialist with DJJ since 2009 and was also a Senior Juvenile Detention Officer and Juvenile Probation Officer. She received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Health Care Administration from the University of West Florida. Please welcome April to the IG’s staff.

NEW NURSE CONSULTANT: Please join me in welcoming Danielle Sausville, RN, as the new registered nurse consultant in the central region for the Office of Health Services. Danielle provides complex nursing consultation and technical assistance to detention centers. She has associate degrees in nursing and humanities from Edison College as well as advanced training in crisis intervention and domestic violence. She is currently attending the University of South Florida to become an advanced registered nurse practitioner.

PROBATION KUDOS: It is always a pleasure to share letters illustrating the good work done by our staff. Following are two letters written by youth who recently completed residential programs that show how important our Juvenile Probation Officers (JPOs) can be to our youth. The first was sent to JPO Shana Feren and the second was written to JPO Susan Nugent. Shana’s commitment is illustrated by a quote from writer James Baldwin that she includes on her emails: “These are our children. We will all profit by, or pay for, whatever they become.” Chief Probation Officer Margaret “Peg” LaMarca says, “Susan Nugent is one of our great JPOs, she has served the agency for over fifteen years. Throughout those years she has helped and supported countless youth and families.” (Youth names are redacted for confidentiality.)

Hey, I just want to take this time to tell you thanks…Thanks for supporting me though I made countless mistakes even after I said that I wouldn’t. Thanks for standing in my corner even when I made it emotionally unsafe for you to. And mainly, thanks for not giving up on me. You made me see things in myself I never knew was there. Me being this total stranger/very misbehaved teenage girl and you being this wonderful caring understanding woman. When I was weak and felt like giving up you gave me strength. You didn’t see me as everyone else did. You saw me as the person I really am. And for that I thank you a million times. You’ve helped me, my mom…my whole family. You’ve played a huge role in my life, Ms. Shana. And I will always remember you as the woman who saved my life.

Susan,


First thing, I want to apologize for violating so many times and being just plain out stupid. You gave me more than enough chances and I flat out blew it. But this is not the reason I am writing to you…I just want to thank you for helping me by sending me to this program and not some crappy one. This place has truly helped me and turned me to a new direction. The staff and facility members really go to hell and back for you here. So thank you for helping me not only turn my life around, but also giving me a fresh start. So for that I can’t thank you enough. You have really helped me out so much I feel like a changed person. So please what you did for me, try with everyone messing up. You can really change and save a lot of lives. Thank you for everything Susan.


P.S. Tell Lut, Byron, Annette, Deputy Perfetto and Deputy Perara (yes I know I spelled it wrong) that I’m sorry but I have changed and I’m ready to show it and that I thank them for always helping me.

PROBATION KUDOS II: JPO Donna Easterling has a 38-year commitment to volunteering, beginning when she was a teenager. She has volunteered in Flagler County for 10 years in her church and local public schools, and as a youth mentor and a member of her sorority. Most recently, she served as chairperson for Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence (E.M.B.O.D.I.), a day-long event sponsored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to support African-American boys. More than 100 students from Circuit 7 attended, including youth in Residential programs. Guest speakers offered advice on education, participating in sports, sexual responsibility and consequences and preparing for adulthood. Thanks to Donna for her service to youth at DJJ and in her community.

NEW WEB FILTERING SOFTWARE: In the next couple of weeks we will implement a new web filtering device to replace WebSense. DJJ has used WebSense for several years to block offensive web sites and control the use of network bandwidth, which ensures that computer applications and systems perform with adequate response time. The new web filtering system, known as Ironport, is able to filter sites based on content, has more robust security features than WebSense and offers enhanced reporting features for management use. Ironport will strengthen the security of DJJ’s computing infrastructure and is another step toward improving our information technology network.

SAFETY REMINDER: Despite a slight increase in April, DJJ remains on target for an overall reduction in workplace injuries this year. Please continue to pay attention to basic safety prevention and think of safety precautions before performing job tasks. Insect bites and stings are common this time of year. To prevent bites and stings, take time to inspect eaves of buildings, outside furniture and objects for insects and report any found so they can be removed. Report all hazards that may cause accidents to your supervisor.


We are constantly working to improve our services to youth and our operations. Thanks to all employees for embracing the changes that are needed to reform Florida’s juvenile justice system.

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.