Directions: a publication of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, Vol. 8, no. 3 (Summer/Fall 2002)

Directions

A publication of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice

Volume VIII, Issue No. 3

Summer/Fall 2002

COMMISSIONER'S CORNER

Leaning Against the Right Wall

Stephen Covey, author of the famed book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, has said that, "Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall." In my effort to ensure that this agency is successful in providing the best possible services to Georgia's delinquent youth, I am not only responsible for how we climb, but the location of the ladder as well. I intend to examine both very carefully.
The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not followers. One of this agency's strategic directions is to become "a learning organization" which will create
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
FACILITIES
HUMAN RESOURCES
PROGRAM SERVICES

more leaders. We will accomplish this by supporting continuous learning for our staff and by creating avenues of trust and understanding. We must also encourage initiative and risk-taking. Then we have to decide, on a personal and organizational level, what it will take for our mission and vision to be successful.
I believe that critical to our success will be how leaders are able to be role models and reinforce values and expectations while building leadership, commitment, and initiative throughout the agency. I am a firm believer in the philosophy of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Albert Schweitzer that says, "Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing." We must be good examples not only for each other, but for the youth we serve, being conscious that our words and deeds are powerful influences.
Through an innovative management tool called Total Quality Management, I hope to engage those leaders in DJJ to become active partners in this agency and, thereby, make change within the agency a shared responsibility. We are in the midst of implementing a service delivery plan and other key

initiatives such as integrated classification and balanced and restorative justice. Each part of what we do is an integral piece of the whole vision for the agency. Our managers must be able to communicate that vision and set direction for staff, while at the same time, motivating and empowering staff and themselves.
There is no question about what drives optimum performance. It is the growth and development of those tasked to perform the work. As Commissioner, I am committed to creating avenues where DJJ staff can gain a greater understanding of themselves as leaders, their roles as principal change agents for growth in their divisions, and their leadership function within the agency. I realize that leadership and learning go hand-in-hand, functioning together. When we are able to blend the two seamlessly as a child-serving agency, then we can be sure that our climb is efficient and that our ladder is leaning on the right wall.
Never forget, I listen to serve,
Orlando L. Martinez

COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS
Integrated Classification
As the Department continues to strive toward providing better services to Georgia's youth, the Divisions of Facilities and Classification and Community Corrections have developed a new comprehensive system to classify youth based on their risks and needs. The new system, referred to as the Integrated Classification System, will build on the old system by incorporating into the assessment process new formulas and pertinent profile information. This will include using service plans, strengths and weaknesses graphs, the use of typology to identify patterns of behavior, and an automated social summary. The cornerstone of the process is a Comprehensive Risk and Needs Assessment (CRN). It is based on the current research and literature on juvenile delinquency causation and child developmental theory.
In the CRN system, youth are assessed according to their levels of risk. Each level indicates the risks to the safety of the public, staff, and other youth. There are three levels of risk: low, medium, and high. The level of security required is also determined from these risk levels. Variables used to determine risk levels are substance use/abuse history, the criminal mindset, family characteristics, or maltreatment and neglect. By recording these variables, the agency will be able to create a narrative social summary and treatment plan for each youth. The process brings together information collected by Community Corrections, medical staff, mental health staff, and facility staff.
Additionally, the new classification system uses three levels of service. The CRN provides a risk score which indicates the initial placement, a graph indicating strengths and weaknesses, and a typology which identifies levels and types of services needed. These levels of service indicate the intensity of a child's needs and result in treatment/services. The treatments then become a part of the service plan which is the actual diagram of treatment for a youth.
CRN replaces the Placement Risk and Needs Assessment process formerly used to determine appropriate placement and services. The CRN was developed in association with Tim Brennan, Ph.D. and Claus Tjaden, Ph.D. Although portions of the assessment are copyright protected, the Department of Juvenile Justice has a license to unlimited internal use. The service plans are being developed based on current theories of crime and delinquency prevention. The new system will allow for greater accuracy when assessing youth committed to our agency. "The Comprehensive Risk and Needs Assessment is delivered in a semi-structured interview format to youth who are committed to DJJ or are placed on probation. A pilot study using the instrument on 700 DJJ youth confirmed that it is reliable and valid for the population served by the Department," states Linda Layton, Director of the Office of Classification.
Extensive training has taken place for the Integrated Classification System. Training has been provided in each of the districts by Community Corrections staff. Along with trainers from the Office of Training and some central office staff, many volunteers aided in the success of this initiative. The training lasted 3 to 4 days, depending on the number of participants. No positions were permanently pulled for training. Ongoing training for Juvenile Correction Officer new hires will be integrated into Basic I, II, and III.
The Integrated Classification Process is the most efficient way of assessing a youth. It utilizes all of the elements surrounding that youth in order to determine the best placement and treatment. The Department plans to continue to make strides to properly assess and place youth in our system. Integrated Classification was fully implemented on July 1.
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FACILITIES AND CLASSIFICATION

Comments
from the Class
On Friday, March 1st, Jared Timmins, Juvenile Corrections Officer I at the Paulding RYDC, spoke to the 61st graduating class of the Juvenile Justice Training Academy. Officer Timmins took the stage to present "Comments from the Class".
The Following is an excerpt from the JCO graduation speech made by Jared Timmins. Commissioner Martinez felt strongly that it should be shared with all DJJ staff.
[SIC] In the past few weeks, many of us have grown; many of us have changed. Hopefully, the past few weeks have opened our eyes to the opportunity and the challenge that stands before us: the challenge of healing hearts that lack the wisdom and guidance to know that their lives can be better than they are; that there is a possibility and a hope for a brighter day ahead.
Let us make it a point: the knowledge and experience we have gained here will not be in vain. Let us all be empowered and strengthened by these past weeks. Let us make the choice to not let our motivation and zeal end with this class.
A solemn responsibility has been placed in our hands. We hold the futures of the children who will grow to be our country's men and women, fathers and mothers, leaders, caregivers, and role models for the generations to come. We hold

the futures of the children whose destinies will be shaped and changed by our commitment and example. We hold the broken dreams of misguided pasts, of shattered hopes, and of crushed dreams. We hold the fragile futures of young men and women: scarred by hatred but cured by love, needing only the chance to succeed.
Each day we encounter the abused, the neglected, the troubled, and the forsaken, and we are given new opportunities to raise a standard against the darkness of this age: to combat wrong and evil with right and good. We are given the responsibility and the privilege to wage war against the sin and evil attacking our communities: against that which steals the potential from misdirected children. These children seek a cause: something to follow and believe in, and someone who will believe in them.
"We graduate today not only from training or a program, but also from our excuses, and from the stagnant shadows of the status quo."
Our duty, our job, and hopefully our passion are to be guiding lights: to show our children their capabilities, and to show them they can be more. Our mission is clear: we are the antidote to the poison of lawlessness, crime, and apathy. We will heal the hurting hearts of a generation.
Our mandate is to restore integrity to our residents: to instill virtue, character and righteousness within them. We graduate today not only

from training or a program, but also from our excuses, and from the stagnant shadows of the status quo. We graduate from accepting the norm, from doing "just enough to get by," and from mediocrity. We graduate to a life of compassion, love, servitude, and leadership.
"It is oh so possible to pass this course, but to fail these kids."
Though we have completed this course, our real journey has now just begun. Though we have all "made the grade" here, we have not yet faced our true tests, and the grades from these tests cannot be penned upon a certificate or pasted on a transcript. These grades can only truly be seen in the smiles of children who will never know love until we show it to them. These grades will be in the revived self-confidence of children who never felt deserving of respect, who never knew what it meant to be cherished, until we showed them.
It is oh so possible to pass this course, but to fail these kids. We must be the ones who see past what they are and into what they can be. We must believe that their yesterdays do not determine their tomorrows. We must, or we will have failed the only test that matters; we will have failed the test of their lives.
A precious gift has been given to us: the stewardship of the hearts of children. We will do our duties to treat these hearts with the justice, sensitivity, compassion, and the love they deserve.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Employee Recognition Week 2002
In May of 2001 Commissioner Majorie H. Young of the Georgia Merit System re-instituted the celebration of Public Employee Recognition Week in Georgia. The Employee Recognition Week was celebrated May 6 10. The purpose of the week was to celebrate the achievements of all government employees. Commissioner Young felt that for far too long, the dedication shown by government employees to the citizens of Georgia has gone unrecognized. Governor Roy E. Barnes, in agreement with Commissioner Young, commemorated the week by issuing a gubernatorial proclamation.

Nominations were accepted February 1 through March 15, 2002 for employees whose accomplishments occurred in the 2001 calendar year. The Georgia Merit System distributed nomination packets to all state agencies through Public Employee Recognition Coordinators or HR departments. For the DJJ, Bob Fuller, Personnel Director, was designated to receive submissions of completed nomination packets.

Eligibility requirements for each nominee were set forth. Each nominee must have been a full or part time benefits eligible employee during the 2001 calendar year. The nominee could not have been an elected official, an agency head or a member of the selection committee. Also, if the nominee is deceased, retired or on leave-without-pay, accomplishments must have occurred during state employment.

All nominations were for meritorious or outstanding performance or for a special act or distinguished accomplishment. The performance upon which the selection was based must clearly be above and beyond that which would be expected from a dedicated employee who is fully and competently discharging all of the duties and requirements of their job. The Awards Selection Committee was chosen from the Statewide Core Planning Committee who viewed all submitted nominations. The Committee was responsible for the final selection of all award recipients.

On May 8, 2002, an Awards Ceremony was held at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta to honor employees for their outstanding service and loyalty. The Honorable Thomas Murphy, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, gave the keynote address. During the ceremony, eight awards were distributed. Nominees for the Department of Juvenile Justice were as follows:

Community Service Award Customer Service Award Leadership Award -
Team Award-

Debra Purnell, Juvenile Detention Counselor, Macon YDC Kathryn Barker, RN, Sandersville RYDC Belinda Hunt, LPN, Macon YDC William Burgamy III, Juvenile Corrections Officer II, Sandersville RYDC Romenski Williams, Juvenile Corrections Officer Lieutenant, Macon YDC Jenika Taylor, Juvenile Detention Counselor, Macon YDC Marilyn Dryden, Education Principal, Macon YDC Behavioral Management Team, Macon YDC Response Team, Macon YDC

Debra Purnell and William Burgamy, nominated by Commissioner Martinez, were the only two DJJ employees to advance to the awards ceremony. Other awards distributed on May 8th were the Safety Award, the Heroism Award, the Innovations/Suggestions Award and the Faithful Service Award.

The ceremony was a success and honor for Georgia staff. State entities throughout Georgia are encouraged to observe this week annually by sponsoring activities of recognition. These activities celebrate the diverse workforces and the importance of government service. Congratulations to all the nominees and the award recipients.
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HUMAN RESOURCES

Getting to the Core of the DJJ

In order to enhance employee morale, Commissioner Martinez, along with the Division of Human Resources, will introduce a new performance appraisal system. This system, a revision to the performance management system, is designed to focus on employee performance and productivity. The appraisal system, under the direction of Deputy Commissioner of Human Resources, Mike Sorrells, will act as a motivational tool for agency employees. The system has five organizational values which are defined as the agency's core competencies.
"Competencies" is a very broad term used to describe elements of performance that relate directly to and are predictive of an individual's success on the job. Competencies include such personal characteristics as behaviors, skills, traits, technical knowledge, and abilities. The revised performance management system, which examines these competencies, will be linked directly to the Department's stated mission, vision, and values. As an agency,

this linkage is critical to meeting organizational objectives while at the same time, promoting individual employee growth and development.
The five core competencies for the agency were established by the Commissioner and his Deputy Commissioners. They include Customer Focus, Ethics/Integrity, Interpersonal Skills, Learning and Continuous Improvement, and Results Focus/Achievement Orientation.
Ethics or Integrity relies on an employee's understanding of both the stated and unstated Departmental values. Customer Focus is meeting the individual expectations of internal and external clients. Also assessed in the system is Achievement Orientation. This competency is based on evaluating an employee's ability to set goals and achieve them. Learning and Continuous Improvement is making a continuous effort to improve and exceed personal expectations. Finally, Interpersonal Skills is being able to communicate effectively and

be a good listener. Each employee's performance should reflect mastery level performance or a level of performance consistently demonstrated by a truly outstanding employee. Every employee will be assessed against the same level of performance, regardless of their position. As such, every DJJ employee will be held accountable for how well he/she consistently demonstrates the agency's blueprint for success.
As an agency, the Department of Juvenile Justice is attempting to measure more effectively, through the use of these competencies, how well the job was performed and not just the duties performed. Used appropriately, the new system will allow the agency to clearly demonstrate the linkage between performance management and other critical factors such as employee retention, employee development and training needs, career progression, and salary mobility. The Division of Human Resources launched the new employee appraisal system on July 1, 2002.

PROGRAM SERVICES

Juvenile Justice and Department of Labor Make Great "Partners"
The Georgia DJJ and the Department of Labor (DOL) in Dougherty County are working together on a new community-based program to teach DJJ youth how to find and keep jobs. The program, appropriately named Partners in Success, began operating in Dougherty County last January at the DOL Office in Albany. Steve Herndon, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Program Services and the DJJ's statewide Partners in Success coordinator, attended the Dougherty County program's kick-off meeting in Albany between the DOL staff, DJJ youth and their parents.
"If I have DJJ kids coming into my office asking for help finding jobs and keeping jobs," Herndon said, "and I send them to the Labor Department, they might not be successful. But it means a lot when the DOL has a program just
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Directions
Roy E. Barnes Governor
BOARD David Evans
Chair Susan Foxworth Dunwody
Vice Chair Emmett Bryant, Jr.
Secretary
Steve Adams Violet Bennett John C. Bittick Major General Peter Boylan Mary Linda Duncan
Lois Frank Eleanor C. Main, Ph.D Edwin A. Risler, Ph.D William J. Shellem, Jr. Veronica J. Walters, Ph.D
Major John Wiggins Mary E. Wilhite
ADVISORY BOARD The Honorable Gregory Adams The Honorable Quintress J. Gilbert
Commissioner: Orlando L. Martinez Editor-in-Chief: Jaci Mays Vickers
Managing Editor: Ericka Davis Editor: Camille Y. Murray
Staff Writer: Andy Haraldson Publisher: Printing Partners
Please direct comments or questions to:
Office of Public Affairs Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice
2 Peachtree Street, 5th floor Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Telephone: (404) 657-2470 Facsimile: (404) 657-2423 Online:www.djj.state.ga.us

T he mission of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is to serve the youth and citizens of Georgia by protecting the public, holding youth accountable for their actions, and improving their academic, social, vocational, and behavioral competencies in the most effective manner possible.
PROGRAM SERVICES (CONTINUED)
for DJJ kids and specifically invites them and their parents. That is the powerful and beneficial thing about this program, and it has a lot of promise." The idea of a partnership between the two agencies has spread rapidly throughout Georgia. Kip Mann, District 5 Director, and Audrey Armistad, Principal, Augusta YDC, have each received $140,000 in grants for their Partners in Success program. Herndon has organized community-based Partners in Success programs in Decatur and Athens, and the above mentioned YDC-based programs in Macon and Augusta.
Irwin Warren, DJJ Program Manager for Partners in Success in Dougherty County, explained how the program's purpose is "to teach kids basic skills related with finding and keeping jobs."
The kids attend two-hour classes one night a week for eight weeks at the DOL Office in Albany. The DJJ provides transportation and the DOL provides instruction and snacks. Lessons focus on a variety of topics, such as appropriate workplace behavior, using DOL computers to find jobs, successful techniques for applying and interviewing, and managing conflicts and money.
"We teach the kids appropriate do's and don'ts related with employment. For example, when they're filling out job applications they need to remember that as minors they have been adjudicated delinquent, not convicted of crimes," said Warren.
The Partners in Success Program was conceived at a lunch meeting between DJJ Commissioner Orlando Martinez and DOL Commissioner Mike Thurmond. After that, managers, supervisors, and staff from both Departments met to make the program a reality. "Commissioner Martinez wanted to access DOL services for DJJ youth," Assistant Deputy Commissioner Herndon said. "But the program could not require funding. It had to use existing resources only."
Herndon explained how Partners in Success is an example of how the DJJ seeks to build relationships with other state agencies. "This will work favorably for the DJJ youth," he said.
The Partners in Success program will be offered at Youth Development Campuses, system wide. Dougherty County's Partners in Success program is highlighted because they graduated one of the first classes of an astounding 19 kids on February 28th. The event included a reception for the graduates. Thanks to the Partners in Success program, these graduates now know how to find and keep employment.
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