The annual conference was attended by juvenile justice professionals (judges, juvenile probation officers, district attorneys, public defenders, victim advocates, residential and community-based service providers, and others serving the juvenile justice system) from Pennsylvania and nationally.
The training workshops focused on various topics and issues facing juvenile justice professionals, highlighting practices, programs, and initiatives that exemplify best practices related to Pennsylvania's Balanced and Restorative Justice mission and Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy.
Thursday Morning Plenary - Thirty Years of Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) in Pennsylvania
The plenary was a celebratory journey through the political climate and landscape that followed the passage of Act 33 of Special Session No. 1 of 1995. The presentation told the story of the creation of, and the strategy to achieve, the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) mission in the Commonwealth.
The session was led by several notable partners in the history of Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system, including the Honorable Arthur E. Grim, President Judge (ret.), Berks County, and former Chair of the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC); Clay Yeager, former Director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Training and Research (CJJTR), JCJC; Jim Anderson, former Executive Director, JCJC; Ron Sharp, former Executive Director, JCJC; Valerie Bender, Victim Advocate and Consultant (ret.); Jim Rieland, Director (ret.), Allegheny County Adult and Juvenile Probation, and former Chair of the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) Committee, Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers; and the Honorable Kim Berkeley Clark, Senior Judge, Allegheny County, and former Chair of the JCJC.
Additionally, many others who played critical and historic roles in Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system were recognized and acknowledged for their lasting contributions and leadership.
Click here to see the timeline!
Thursday Afternoon Plenary - The Next 30 Years of Juvenile Justice in Pennsylvania: Challenges and Opportunities for System Improvement
The Afternoon Plenary built upon the historical reflections shared during the Morning Plenary. The session shifted the focus from the first 30 years of Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) to the future of juvenile justice in Pennsylvania. Keith Snyder, Executive Director (ret.), Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, opened the plenary by revisiting the early years of the Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES), connecting this work to the strengthening of BARJ, and describing the juvenile justice system’s ongoing progress. Hunter Hurst IV, Director, National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), and Charles “Chaz” Puzzanchera, Senior Research Associate, NCJJ, continued the discussion by examining current youth crime trends across Pennsylvania and the nation, providing insight into data-driven challenges and emerging opportunities. Josh Weber, Director, Juvenile Justice, Council of State Governments Justice Center, concluded the presentation on the Youth Protective Factors Study, service matching, and how JJSES and BARJ principles can continue to drive system improvement through individualized, evidence-based approaches. The plenary closed with a brief question and answer session, inviting reflection and dialogue on how Pennsylvania can build on its legacy to meet the challenges and opportunities during the next 30 years.
Workshop materials provided to participants will be made available for download below when possible.
- Addressing the Educational Needs of Children In and Out of the Courtroom
- Autism and the Courts: Enhancing Judicial Understanding and Support for Individuals with Autism in the Juvenile Justice System
- Benefits of a Comprehensive Sexual Offender Continuum
- Building Momentum: Empowering Justice-Impacted Youth Through Community and Opportunity
- Centering Crime Survivors in Restorative Justice Efforts to Improve Community Outcomes
- From Courtroom to Community: Advancing Restorative Practices in Juvenile Justice
- Immersive Activity: Experiencing a Victim’s Journey Through the Juvenile Justice System
- Not Misbehavior - Misunderstood: A VR Journey into the World of Neurodivergent Youth
- Preventing Targeted Violence in Pennsylvania: Collaborative Strategies from the FBI and Lancaster County
- Reducing Recidivism with Employability and Work Opportunities
- Reentry Roadmaps: Redefining Success Through Better Measures and Youth Narratives
- Youth Justice Advisory Boards: Amplifying System-Involved Youth Voices