Oneida County Juvenile Justice Leaders Named Fellows of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University

Project Completion Next Component of Comprehensive Countywide Arrest Diversion Program

Members of the Oneida County team attended an Information sharing Certificate Program late 2014 and were recently admitted to the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform Fellows Network following the approval of their capstone project. The Oneida County team’s capstone project, titled Reforming Juvenile Justice Practices in Oneida County is focused on diverting youth from the juvenile and criminal justice system by providing intervention services catered to the specific needs of the juvenile offender.

The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University advances a balanced, multi-systems approach to reducing juvenile delinquency that promotes positive child and youth development, while also holding youth accountable.  The Center works to focus the nation's juvenile justice and related systems of care on the key principles embodied in an evidence-based juvenile justice reform agenda, utilizing a multi-systems approach.

Oneida County Family Court Judge, Randal Caldwell said “Collaboration and information sharing amongst agencies involved in the juvenile justice system is a crucial element in providing better outcomes for youth”

Judge Randal Caldwell, Oneida County Family Court; Colleen Fahy-Box, Deputy Commissioner, Oneida County Department of Social Services; Anne Lansing, Executive Director and James Franco, Director of Operations at Safe Schools Healthy Students; John Syrotynksi, Director of Security at the Utica City School District; and David Tomidy, Director of Oneida County Probation are the recently selected new members of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform Fellows Network.

County Executive Picente said “We are honored to have Oneida County represented by 5 individuals with a commitment to juvenile justice and arrest diversion. To be admitted as fellows of this prestigious center shows our commitment to creating a model arrest diversion program that will help youth here at home and be emulated throughout the state and country.”

The County Executive’s office sent this group to Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform to attend the 2014 Information Sharing Certificate Program in a continued step of implementing the County Executive’s Countywide Arrest Diversion Program.

In 2015, the Oneida County Executive, Anthony J. Picente Jr announced the intention to create a county-wide arrest diversion program. The program aims to create a comprehensive diversion program focused on keeping our youth out of the justice system. The program looks at collaborative approaches amongst various agencies to address the specific needs of the youth and families aimed at positive outcomes for youth and community.