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Breaking NewsRepresentative Anitere Flores Joins Pre-K Children to Picture the FutureAdvocates Say To New Chief - Adopt Our 5-Point Plan No Relief for Florida’s Children Representatives Bill Heller and Ed Hooper Join Pre-K Children to Picture the Future The Forgotten Few? ... You Could Have Heard A Pin Drop Representative Shelley Vana Joins Pre-K Children to Picture the Future Senator Mike Fasano Joins Pre-K Children to Picture the Future Senator Nan Rich Joins Pre-K Children to Picture the Future Former Governors Invite Legislators to Picture the Future Girls on the Edge - Florida Trend Blueprint Commission Appointed Florida Takes Two more Steps to Improve Juvenile Justice Governor Crist Supports Degreed Pre-K Teachers Floridians may again provide funds to other states Promise Kept - New DJJ Mission Triplet Wins Scholarship Bay County Leaders Lunch, Listen and Learn Castor and Barreiro Educated Miami Dade Candidates and Community 300 Attend Pinellas Pancakes, Children and Candidates! Picture The Future Media Event Years of Prosperity Leave Children Where They Started 5 Promises to Parents Campaign Launches Betty Castor and Bill Sublette to Lead Five Promises Campaign Honoring an Advocate, MLK Picture the Future, New Advocacy Event |
Advocates Say To New Chief – Adopt Our 5-Point Plan ( St. Petersburg, FL) - Representative Frank Peterman, a Democrat from St. Petersburg, stepped out of the Florida Legislature this morning and into the position of Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice at a press conference held by Governor Charlie Crist in that city. In addition to his legislative duties, Peterman was the development director of a charitable organization that provides prevention and early intervention services to youth. Up until his appointment, he served on the House Juvenile Justice Committee. Roy Miller, President of Children’s Campaign, Inc., told the media that Peterman is “thoughtful and has experience”. For the Miami Herald article on the appointment, click here. Children’s Campaign, Inc. immediately called on the new Secretary to adopt a 5-Point Plan for Juvenile Justice Reform which was released to the media the previous day in partnership with the Florida Juvenile Justice Association and Florida Network of Youth & Family Services. These three groups first envisioned and supported the creation of the Juvenile Justice Blueprint Commission which released its full report at a press conference in Tallahassee on Tuesday, February 5. The findings – contained in 52 recommendations to reform the state’s juvenile justice system - chart a balanced approach that will protect the public safety while turning around the lives of troubled youth. To read the full Blueprint Commission report, click here. The 5 Point Plan is designed to ensure that the reform report does not merely collect dust on a shelf, like so many reports that have preceded it in this state. The 5-Point Plan calls on Florida leaders to provide for a strong and independent Department of Juvenile Justice, equitable public safety funding with the Department of Corrections, consistency in leadership at DJJ, a reconvening of the Blueprint Commission annually to oversee progress on the reform agenda, and the immediate introduction of sweeping legislative remedies appearing in the report. To read the press release including the 5-Point Plan, click here. Examples of changes in legislation include but are not limited to the following:
It appears to be the overall consensus that this reform is much needed. Commissioned Chairman Frank Brogan, former lieutenant governor of Florida, responded to the media this week about whether or not the system can be reformed. “I’m an eternal optimist. I have rarely, if ever, used the word ‘hopeless,’ I work with children every day and it can’t be hopeless with them. Failure is not an option here.” The Blueprint Commission was supported by charitable gifts extended by the Eckerd Family Foundation, JEHT Foundation, and Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The recommendations of the Blueprint Commission, along with the suggested 5-Point Plan offered by advocates and juvenile justice stakeholders, are a proactive approach to the urgent reform needed in the state’s juvenile justice system. Reform must also embrace changes in budget philosophy. Said Roy Miller to the Florida media, “We don’t invest enough in early childhood education, we don’t invest enough in Kidcare, we don’t invest in after school programs, and so problems develop and as a result we’re going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions of dollars, throughout the state budget to address problems that could have been prevented.” This Breaking News story was brought to you by: Christen Smiley, Communications Coordinator Roy Miller, President Children’s Campaign, Inc. |