County Juvenile Detention Officers Graduate from JJC Training Program

SEA GIRT - Twenty four juvenile detention officers, representing nine counties, recently graduated from the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission's (JJC) Training Academy. The graduation was held on Friday, July 11.

While the JJC began training its own juvenile correction officers and juvenile parole officers in 1999, this marks the first time the JJC has conducted the training for county juvenile detention officers. The JJC was authorized by the Police Training Commission to take over duties that were previously provided by the State Department of Corrections (DOC). Prior to the creation of the JJC, the DOC was responsible for delinquent juveniles. Their officers received the same training whether they were assigned to an adult facility or a juvenile facility.

The six week training course is held at the Juvenile Justice Commission/Division of Criminal Justice Satellite Training Academy. The training center, which opened last year, has expanded the training opportunities that the JJC can offer. The counties are charged $600 per officer to attend the training which includes an optional residential component for those officers who live a distance from the facility. The training includes first aid/CPR, use of Automated External Defibrillators (AED), the history of the family court and juvenile justice system in the State of New Jersey, and defensive tactics.

"The JJC is pleased to offer this unique training designed specifically for correction officers who work with juveniles," stated Howard L. Beyer, Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission. "As the single state agency charged to reform the juvenile justice system, its makes sense that the JJC provide training specifically tailored to help officers meet the challenges and the very different needs of juvenile residents as opposed to those of adult inmates. The JJC is proud of its Academy and the state-of-the-art curriculum that its staff has developed to teach officers how to maintain a safe environment for themselves, the juvenile residents and their colleagues. Ensuring that custody staff have the knowledge and the tools to do their jobs to the best of their abilities plays an important part in helping the juveniles in their care turn their lives around. I want to thank the New Jersey Detention Association, and its president Gerald Bowden, for working with the JJC to make this project a success."

"This first graduating class of the JJC Academy is the result of the tremendous effort of Mr. Beyer, Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission, Mr. Cleary, Director of Training for the JJC and his staff, and the New Jersey Juvenile Detention Association. This is the first step in re-establishing a truly centralized training facility and philosophy geared for those professionals dedicated to working with juveniles," said Gerald Bowden, President of the New Jersey Detention Association. "This graduation further emphasizes the partnership that exists between the State and the Counties in providing a continuum of effort to change the behavior of under socialized juveniles so that they may become model citizens rather than model prisoners. I look forward to the day when such graduations at this Academy are routine, thus ensuring that the State of New Jersey and its Counties continue the best trained and qualified professionals to work with a most difficult juvenile population."

There are 17 county operated juvenile detention centers in the State of New Jersey that house juveniles awaiting adjudication by a judge or to be transferred to another facility.

Graduates:

Hudson County Juvenile Detention Center

Yolanda L. Caballero
Sharon McLean
Anthony Sanchez

Mercer County Youth Detention

Edward L. Berry
Adrienne A. Brown
Albert J. Foy
Keith H. Green

Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center

Jose L. Martinez
Thomas Vargas
Andrew Yon

Monmouth County Youth Detention

Alan R. Coughlin
Dolton G. Douglas, III
John C. Maziarski

Morris County Juvenile Detention Center

Andrew J. Darling
Richard D. Quinn
Helena S. Spanos

Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center

Adrian Ortiz
John E. Sennick

Sussex County Juvenile Detention

Teresa L. Kulsar
Andrew P. McLean

Union County Juvenile Quarters

Laudernia L. Daniels
Dennis Matlosz
Guy F. Reid

Warren Acres - Juvenile Detention Center

Fred D. Perry

For more information on the JJC, please visit www.njjjc.com