ENCOURAGING: Respectfulness Resourcefulness Responsibility Reliability

1
YOUTH CONNECTIONS UNLIMITED
ENCOURAGINGRespectfulness - Resourcefulness -
Responsibility - Reliability MISSION
STATEMENTThe mission of Youth Connections
Unlimited is to provide and facilitate
preventative and follow-up programs for, "at
risk" and "high risk" young people.
Youth Connections Unlimited works in
partnership with the Sacramento County Probation
Department with a focus on pre-system and
preventative programming and a commitment to the
principles of Restorative Justice.
2
WHAT IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?
Restorative Justice is an alternative way to
look at the juvenile justice system. Crime is
viewed as an offense against the community, which
includes the victim and the offender, rather than
against the state. Restorative Justice focuses on
repairing the harm to victims, communities, and
offenders that occurs when a crime is committed.
Justice is not primarily about the
punishment of the perpetrator, but rather about
the vindication of the victim. Dr.
Biggar Oxford University
Through a firm commitment to the principles and
values of Restorative Justice, the Sacramento
County Probation Department and its volunteers
are restoring victims and families strengthening
neighborhoods and ensuring public safety through
offender accountability. Verne L Speirs Chief
Probation Officer
3
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Three principles form the foundation for
restorative justice 1. Justice requires that we
work to restore those who have been injured. 2.
Those most directly involved and affected by
crime should have the opportunity to participate
fully in the response if they wish. 3.
Government's role is to preserve public order,
and the community's role is to build and maintain
peace.
4
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Restorative programs are characterized by four
key values Encounter Create opportunities for
victims, offenders and community members who want
to do so, to meet and discuss the crime and its
aftermath. Amends Expect offenders to take
steps to repair the harm they have caused.
Reintegration Seek to restore victims and
offenders to whole, contributing members of
society. Inclusion Provide opportunities for
parties with a stake in a specific crime to
participate in its resolution.
5
MENTORING PROGRAM
A program of the Sacramento County Probation
Department And a partnership program with Youth
Connections Unlimited
The Mentoring Program is a highly effective
preventative program of the Sacramento County
Probation Department. It is a program for both
male and female young people at risk. However
the typical young person involved is a 9 to 14
year old male who has no father or any other
positive male role model in his life. The mentor
usually has contact with the young person for a
few hours every few weeks.
Our records show that less than 5 of the young
people, who have had a mentor, get into any
trouble at all. National statistics show that
98 of young people who have a mentor do not
affiliate with gangs or drop out of school.
6
WHAT IS? THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD
The Neighborhood Accountability Board. . . What
is it? The Neighborhood Accountability Board
(NAB) is a diversion program for first-time,
juvenile misdemeanor offenders. The NAB program
consists of individual Boards based in
communities throughout Sacramento County.
Participation in the NAB program is voluntary
it is offered as an alternative to the formal
justice system. In order to be considered for
the program, a juvenile first must admit
responsibility for his or her offense.
7
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD
There are fourteen (14) individual Neighborhood
Accountability Boards in Sacramento County, with
over 250 community volunteers donating their time
on a monthly basis Statistic show that
approximately 95 of the young people who go
through the Neighborhood Accountability Board
have not re-offended one year later. NAB Boards
handle approximately 200 cases per
month. According to departmental figures, the
cost to process one juvenile through the NAB
program is approximately 332.00. The cost to
process that same juvenile through the formal
justice system is approximately 1,912.00.
8
VICTIM OFFENDER MEDIATOR PROGRAM
A program of the Sacramento County Probation
Department And a partnership program with Youth
Connections Unlimited

• Victim Offender Mediation Programs (VOMP) is a
  Restorative Justice approach that brings
  offenders face to face with the victims of their
  crimes with the assistance of a trained mediator,
  usually a community volunteer.
• Crime is personalized as offenders learn the
  human consequences of their actions, and victims
  (who may e ignored by the criminal justice
  system) have the opportunity to speak their minds
  and their feeling to the one who most ought to
  hear them, contributing to the healing process of
  the victim.

9
VICTIM OFFENDER MEDIATOR PROGRAM
A program of the Sacramento County Probation
Department And a partnership program with Youth
Connections Unlimited

• Offenders take meaningful responsibility for
  their actions by mediating a restitution
  agreement with the victim, to restore the
  victims losses, in whatever ways that may be
  possible.
• Perhaps most important, after facing the victims
  of their crimes, offenders commit fewer and less
  serious offenses than similar offenders who are
  processed by the traditional juvenile or criminal
  justice system.

10
JUVENILE JUSTICE CHAPLAINCY
In Collaboration with the Sacramento County
Department Juvenile Probation
The Chaplain oversees three facilities, which
include the Youth Detention Facility, Sacramento
County Boys Ranch, and Warren E Thornton Youth
Center. The Chaplaincy strives to maintain a
servants attitude on its ministry to young
people and their families, to serve as a link
between local churches and the Sacramento County
Probation Department. SERVICES Sunday Chapel
services at the Juvenile Center Visiting
Mentors/Friends Special events/concerts Special
guest speakers 12-step Recovery Group Individual
counseling Referrals to local churches Post
incarceration activities Volunteer Bible
Studies PURPOSE Seek to understand and address
the spiritual, physical, emotional, and social
needs of the incarcerated young people in a
manner that is non-judgmental and respectful of
the wide diversity of religious belief and
practices.
11
JUVENILE SERVICE COUNCIL Volunteers in
Probation
The Juvenile Service Council-Volunteers in
Probation is a non-profit organization created to
enrich the lives of our communitys youth. These
young people have entered the criminal justice
system for a variety of reasons and they need our
help and support. This organization is
comprised of a wide variety of persons dedicated
to making a positive impact on the lives of our
communitys youth.
12
FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM
What is the foster grandparent program?
The Foster Grandparent Program is part of the
Corporation for National and Community Service
and is sponsored locally by Sacramento County
Department of Human Assistance. There are over
100 Foster Grandparents in Sacramento, Yolo and
Placer Counties active in this program. What
kind of work is done? Volunteers work in a
variety of settings tutoring and mentoring
children. They work with infants and children in
hospitals, schools, day care centers, the
Children's Receiving Home, Job Corps and Juvenile
Hall. They tutor children in math hold and
nurture babies who are born prematurely with
health problems or parentally exposed to
drugs/alcohol help children with long term
illnesses, children who have been abused or
neglected, or children who are at risk from
dropping out of school, or at risk of substance
abuse
13
FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM
Who can volunteer? The Foster Grandparent
Program has four basic criteria to qualify Must
be 60 years of age or older Must be low-income
(979.00 a month or less) Must be willing to
serve children with special needs Must be
willing to serve a minimum of 15 hours a week
14
BRIDGE BUILDING
The Bridge Building Program is an endeavor to
help close the ever revolving door of Juvenile
Crime. The program involves volunteers
facilitating classes or workshops within the
Sacramento County Boys Ranch and WETYC one
evening each week. The purpose of the class, or
workshop, is not only to teach skills to the
wards, but to build personal relationships.
15
BRIDGE BUILDING
After a workshop course is finished the
instructor then continues the relationship with
the ward after he has been released. The
volunteer agrees to continue to work with the
ward for at least one year in a supportive role
in helping him bridge the gap between being
incarcerated in an institution, and becoming a
productive member of society.
16
BRIDGE BUILDING
Building a Bridge to a Productive Life