AGENCY REPORTDELAWARE CENTER FOR JUSTICE

MISSION

• DELAWARE CENTER FOR JUSTICE (DCJ) IS A LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT DEALS WITH PRESERVING JUSTICE. DCJ IS DEDICATED TO MAKING DELAWARE A SAFER PLACE BY SEEKING TO ACHIEVE AND PRESERVE A HIGH QUALITY OF JUSTICE. DCJ IS CONCERNED ABOUT JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AS WELL AS JUSTICE FOR EX-OFFENDERS.

MISSION CONTINUED• DCJ FOCUSES ON ISSUES AND ACTIONS RELATED TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

SYSTEM. THESE INCLUDE: CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT, ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, REENTRY INITIATIVES FOR INCARCERATED POPULATIONS, MORE COST-EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT USE OF LIMITED CORRECTIONS RESOURCES, LEGISLATIVE REFORM AS IT PERTAINS TO CREATING A HIGHER QUALITY OF JUSTICE, MEETING THE NEEDS OF VICTIMS OF CRIME, AND CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS.

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION-ELDERLY VICTIMS

• OLDER ADULTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE EMOTIONALLY ABUSED BY FAMILY MEMBERS SUCH AS PARTNERS/SPOUSES (TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT), CHILDREN/GRANDCHILDREN (NINETEEN PERCENT), AND OTHER RELATIVES (THIRTEEN PERCENT). • WHEN OLDER ADULTS ARE PHYSICALLY MISTREATED FIFTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF THE TIME IT IS DONE

BY PARTNERS OR SPOUSES, TEN PERCENT ARE CHILDREN/GRANDCHILDREN, AND NINE PERCENT ARE OTHER RELATIVES. IN NINETEEN PERCENT OF ELDER ABUSE CASES ACQUAINTANCES ARE THE PERPETRATORS OF PHYSICAL MISTREATMENT.

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION-PRISON REENTRY POPULATION

• THERE ARE A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF BLACK AND HISPANIC PEOPLE IN PRISON. BLACKS AND HISPANICS ALSO HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF RECIDIVISM THAN WHITE PEOPLE DO, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE REARRESTED AND RESENTENCED TO PRISON.• MOST OF THIS POPULATION STRUGGLES WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION-AT-RISK YOUTH• MOST AT-RISK YOUTH COME FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WHICH CAN

INCLUDE CHILDREN FROM SINGLE PARENT HOMES AND CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. • YOUTH FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES ENGAGE IN MORE RISK BEHAVIORS IN

THEIR YOUTH THAN YOUTH THAT COME FROM MIDDLE-INCOME FAMILIES, AND HIGH-INCOME FAMILIES.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

• TWO IMPORTANT POLICIES THAT DCJ’S EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ADDRESSES IS:• PROTECTING WHISTLEBLOWERS• PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE

STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE

Executive Director-Joanna Champney

Admin/Dev Coordinator-Winona

Simpson

Associate Director-Ashley Biden

Program Coordinator CRSP-

Anthony Jacobs

Case Manager-Jessica Alicea

Case Manager-Suzanne Kirk

Program Coordinator SODP-

Cindy McDaniel

Program Partner/Data Analyst (P-T)-

Madison Shipley

Program Coordinator

AVS/POPS/RI-RO-Regina Gray

Mental Health Counselor (P-T) AVS-

Tracie Purnell

Program Coordinator VRCMP/CCP

Mediation-Karin McManus

Program Coordinator TRP-Sharona Everett

Case Manager (P-T) TRP-Teresa Richards

Program Coordinator YGVP-

VACANTProgram Partner (P-T) YGVP-Amir Lyle

Project Coordinator ADHD Corrections-

Kristan VanDomelen

Program Coordinator DYOI-

Julie P. Miller

Advacacy Coordinator SURJ at DCJ Program-Kirsten

Cornnell

Advocacy Associate (P-T) SURJ at DCJ

Program-Mark Brunswick

Parenting Specialist (P-T) Project REACH-

Nikkita Robins-Thompson

Program Coordinator (P-T) Victim Sensitivity-

Angie Walker

Bookkeeper (P-T)-Amy Freed

FUNDING

• UNITED WAY OF DELAWARE• GOVERNMENT GRANTS• FUNDRAISING

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER AGENCIES

• GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS• COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

STRENGTHS, TRENDS, & CHALLENGES-ELDERLY VICTIMS

• ONE OF THE TRENDS THAT THE ELDERLY VICTIMS’ POPULATION FACES IS THAT MOST OF THE VICTIMIZATION IS DONE BY A FAMILY MEMBER EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.• ELDERLY VICTIMS ARE USUALLY LONELY.• DCJ’S STRENGTH IN DEALING WITH THIS POPULATION IS THAT THEY OFFER

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE AND EMPATHY TO THEIR CLIENTS.

STRENGTHS, TRENDS, & CHALLENGES-REENTRY POPULATION• ONE OF THE BIG TRENDS FOR THE PRISON REENTRY POPULATION

GENERATIONAL CRIME.• CHARGES IN NEW CASTLE COUNTY ARE PREDOMINATELY DRUG OR WEAPON

RELATED.• THIS POPULATION IS OFTEN DEPENDENT ON THE SYSTEM FOR HOUSING,

FOOD, AND CLOTHING ASSISTANCE. • DCJ’S REENTRY STAFF IS MULTI-CULTURAL, OFFER FACE-TO-FACE ASSISTANCE,

AND ALWAYS FOLLOW UP WITH CLIENTS WHO HAVE LEFT THE PROGRAM.

STRENGTHS, TRENDS, & CHALLENGES-AT-RISK YOUTH

• IT IS HARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH THIS POPULATION.• THIS POPULATION IS TRANSIENT.• A STRENGTH THAT DCJ HAS INVOLVING YOUTH IS THAT THEIR PROGRAMS

REVOLVE AROUND YOUTH ADVOCACY. THEY REALLY RELY ON THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH.

INTERN ROLE• HALF OF MY TIME AT MY INTERNSHIP SITE IS SPENT AT THE FRONT DESK.• THE REST OF MY INTERNSHIP IS SPENT ATTENDING MEETINGS, OBSERVING

CASE MANAGEMENT, LEARNING ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, AND DOING SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS THAT MY SITE SUPERVISOR GIVES TO ME.