November 2-4, 2022
Hilton Harrisburg
Back and Better: Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice’s Journey of Introspection and Improvement
This annual conference was attended by juvenile justice professionals (Judges, Probation Officers, District Attorneys, Defenders, Victim Services representatives, providers of residential and community-based services and other vendors serving the juvenile justice system) from throughout Pennsylvania and nationally.
The training workshops focused on various topics and issues facing juvenile justice professionals, while also highlighting practices, programs and initiatives that exemplify best-practices related to Pennsylvania's Balanced & Restorative Justice mission and Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES). Offerings were repeated in both the morning and afternoon sessions for conference participants.
Wednesday, November 2nd
Judges/Hearing Officers Training
“Data Every Juvenile Court Judge Should Know
(Hint: and is currently available)”
(Judges and Juvenile Court Hearing Officers Only)
Pennsylvania has one of the most robust juvenile justice data systems in the country, however, most juvenile court judges and juvenile court hearing officers are unaware of the various data available to them. During this session, staff from the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission will demonstrate the Pennsylvania Juvenile Case Management System (PaJCMS), and state-of-the-art digital dashboards specifically developed for juvenile court judges. These dashboards are designed to provide judges with real-time data, and will cover a broad array of topics, such as the use of secure detention and placement, lengths of time youth are outside the home, and the timeliness of court processing. A portion of this training will also cover recent statutory and procedural rule updates that directly impact juvenile court judges and hearing officers. At the end of the session, attendees will have a greater understanding of the various reports, dashboards, and other types of information available to them to assist in data-driven and fundamentally fair decision-making.
Juvenile Defender Training
(Juvenile Defenders Only)
Professional Caucuses
Join with colleagues from within your juvenile justice system area of specialty to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest. Individual caucuses will be held for chief juvenile probation officers, juvenile probation supervisors, juvenile probation officers, service providers, and victim service providers. These facilitated caucuses will be highly interactive and offer participants the opportunity to discuss critical issues and needs for the future.
Chief Juvenile Probation Officer/ Service Provider Forum
Youth Awards Program & Dinner
Will Kiefer is the Founder and Executive Director of the Bench Mark Program, a strength-based mentoring program for at-risk youth. Bench Mark uses a trauma-informed approach to help youth achieve fitness, scholastic, and career-related goals. Will has a passion for working with at-risk youth and spends the majority of his time growing and developing the Bench Mark Program to better serve the youth in his community.
Thursday, November 3rd
Conference Welcome & Morning Plenary
“Strengthening Fundamental Fairness: Our Commitment To Advancing Racial Equity and Inclusion in the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System”
christian bijoux is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University and Deputy Director for Equity and Racial Justice at the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR), where he advances a race equity and Community Development framework in all of CJJR’s programs and initiatives, including its Certificate Programs, Crossover Youth Practice Model and Breakthrough Series Collaborative. Chris is a nationally recognized thought scholar and leader on race, equity, and anti-racism, and has wonderful experience working as the Director of the Dually Involved Youth Initiative in Santa Clara County, CA and as a program coordinator consultant with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, where among other things, he facilitated equity and fairness workshops and co-chaired the DYS Family Advisory Council. He’s also served as an adjunct professor at Newbury College, has a Master of Public Health and Master of Business Administration, and will be receiving his PhD in Social Policy at Brandeis University in 2022.
Workshops
(Offered in both the Morning and Afternoon)
Buffet Lunch & Afternoon Plenary Session
“Let’s Talk About Us:
Recognizing the Significance of Vicarious Trauma and Self Care”
Dr. Meagan Corrado is the owner and founder of Storiez Trauma Narratives. She is also an Assistant Professor at West Chester University and has instructed graduate-level social work students at Bryn Mawr College and the University of Pennsylvania. In her work at Storiez Trauma Narratives, Dr. Corrado specializes in supporting children, teenagers, and families who have experienced difficult life experiences. She takes a creative approach to her work, incorporating elements of art, music, poetry, and play therapy in her clinical practice. Dr. Corrado has authored 10 books and trained over 7,000 clinicians, community leaders, and trauma survivors across 22 innovative training programs. Dr. Corrado has also supported systems in implementing trauma-informed practices. She has worked collaboratively with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services, the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services, and the American Institutes for Research. Dr. Corrado holds a Master of Social Services from Bryn Mawr College and a Doctorate of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania.
Afternoon Session Workshops
(Offered in both the Morning and Afternoon)
Reception and Annual Awards Program and Dinner
The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission will, once again, honor both individuals and programs for outstanding service to Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System.
Friday, November 4th
Resource Day with Continental Breakfast
We once again concluded with Resource Day. Conference participants had an opportunity to learn about new, innovative, and creative approaches to working with juveniles and their families. We invite individuals representing public and private residential and community-based programs, technological products, and other relevant services available to the juvenile courts in Pennsylvania, to meet with conference participants during this informal session that concludes the conference.