Source: Melinda Sinn, 785-532-5888, sinnpio@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Jared Betts, 785-532-2529, betts290@k-state.edu
Friday, June 5, 2009
K-STATE COORDINATING 10TH ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON JUVENILE JUSTICE
MANHATTAN -- The 10th annual Governor's Conference on Juvenile Justice, "Making a Difference -- One Youth at a Time," will be June 21-24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 400 W. Watermen St., Wichita.
The conference is co-sponsored by the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority, Kansas Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Spirit AeroSystems. It is coordinated by Kansas State University's Division of Continuing Education.
The conference is of interest to attorneys, caseworkers, counselors, parents, therapists and others who are interested in juvenile justice, crime reduction and crime prevention. The conference will focus on legal issues, mental health issues, sex offender issues, community programs and prevention, facility operations and re-entry, minority youth in the juvenile justice system, and evidence-based practices and research. Continuing education credits and continuing legal education credits are available for conference attendees.
The conference's three keynote speakers are:
* Mark Soler, who will present "Juvenile Justice: Lessons for a New Era." Soler is the executive director of the Center for Children's Law and Policy in Washington, D.C. His discussion will cover lessons learned in the past 15-20 years and his recommendations for key policymakers in major juvenile justice areas, such as effectiveness of treatment programs, adolescent brain development, transfer of youth to adult criminal court, alternatives to incarceration, girls in the juvenile justice system and addressing racial and ethnic disparities.
* Karen Countryman-Roswurm, who will present "Pain to Pass Equals Privilege." Countryman-Roswurm is a licensed master social worker and a graduate student at Wichita State University. Her work emphasizes the facilitation of a communitywide coalition to prevent and reduce the risk of youth involved in sexual exploitation. She will discuss her own life story of how a painful childhood led her to work with marginalized youth and these experiences turned pain into privilege.
* The Rev. Gregory Boyle, who will present "Lessons from the Barrio: Community as a Response to Youth Violence." Boyle is the founder and chief executive officer of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, Calif. Homeboy is recognized as the largest gang intervention program in the country and has become a national model for fostering an environment of training, work experience and an opportunity for rival gang members to work side by side. Boyle will share stories about his work and the young people he works with.
The conference will feature an evening reception with dinner and entertainment provided by Diamond W Chuckwagon in downtown Wichita. All conference sessions will be at the Hyatt Regency. Room reservations are available by contacting the hotel at 316-293-1234.
The conference registration fee covers the evening reception, breakfasts, luncheons, refreshment breaks, program materials and post-conference sessions. Special discounts are offered for full-time students with proof of current enrollment.
More information and online registration are available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/juvenilejustice or by calling the K-State Division of Continuing Education conference registration office at 785-532-5569 or 1-800-432-8222.
