CYA Recognizes Outstanding Work in Juvenile Justice; Awards to Be Presented at California Probation, Parole and Correctional Association Conference.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 1999--

Donna Mason, Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Stalking Survivors, Inc., will be one of five individuals and three programs that will receive awards for their positive contributions to the field of youth corrections.

California Youth Authority (CYA) Director Greg Zermeno will present the awards at a banquet tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento. Additionally, three former parolees will receive the "Outstanding Achievement" award for having made formidable strides in changing their life-styles.

The awards will be presented during the 69th Annual Conference of the California Probation, Parole and Correctional Association and will include three distinguished service awards, two victim services awards, and three program awards.

"It's a pleasure for me to recognize these individuals and programs for their contributions that positively impact the lives of youth in our state," Zermeno said. "We in the CYA are pleased to be able to honor these people and programs; and to express our appreciation for their innovative and dedicated efforts."

Following are the recipients of the CYA Awards:

Donna Mason, Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Stalking Survivors (SASS), Inc., will receive the Victim Service Award for her efforts in forming alliances with other victims and establishing the SASS. A survivor of stalking, Mason has testified before the state Legislature, been a speaker at the CYA's Impact of Crime on Victims classes, is a member of the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime National Advisory Panel on Stalking and has participated in numerous other local and national groups to provide education, share information and provide support for victims.

Verna Champion, parole agent I in San Diego, who has been with the CYA for more than 10 years, has dedicated numerous personal hours to fund-raising activities to support victims programs. She helps victims who want to testify at parole hearings and holds those parolees assigned to her accountable for any restitution they are required to pay. She continues to make ongoing significant contributions to enhancing services to crime victims and in doing so makes all the staff at the San Diego parole office aware of their individual role as advocates for crime victims.

The San Jose Sex Offender Program, this program, began in 1985 with very limited resources, but it had dedicated YA and therapeutic staff who were energized to make the community safer. Parole Agent II Specialist Ronald Taylor, was instrumental in the initial development and the ongoing advancement and enhancement of this program. This program now provides a continuum of care for sex offenders, starting when they first come in the institution. Field parole agents are involved right from the start to ensure there is a smooth transition to parole and that appropriate services and counseling are provided all along the way. Parolees who are making successful adjustments buddy-up with new parolees to reduce resistance to programing and enhance chances of success. Since its inception, the San Jose Sex Offender Program has dealt with 200 parolees and has had an amazing 5 percent recidivism rate for sex offenses. The program has been replicated in various areas throughout California.

Cayucos Pre-Parole Program -- Camp Roberts, The primary treatment emphasis at El Paso de Robles Youth Correctional Facility is "Parole Readiness." From the ward's first day in orientation to his last day in the institution, he is continually preparing for his release on parole. The Cayucos Pre-Parole Program consists of wards within their last six month of parole consideration, being given realistic expectations about parole. Wards are transported daily to Camp Roberts, a former military base, where they gain realistic life/work experiences. They develop leadership ability, actually manage some of their own affairs and lead work crews of other wards. The parole success rate for the program is 65 percent far exceeding the department average of about 50 percent.

Success Project, Lyle Egan High School, located in the Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility in Chino, is part of a Community Challenge Grant Project involving a partnership between Career Visions, the YWCA of the West End and the CYA. The project teaches responsible parenting and targets 218 young men ages 17 to 24 years old. The key objectives are to give them a better understanding of pregnancy prevention, knowledge of health issues related to sexuality, responsible parenting, single parent households, and economic earning potential.

Gerri Farris and Donna Potch, office technicians in the Parole Restitution Program. In 1996 both of these people were assigned to the Restitution Program. With minimal resources, working together as a creative team, they quickly developed many innovative procedures to enhance accurate record keeping. They developed training materials and provided training for field parole staff throughout the state. Parole restitution collection over the last three years has increased nearly $40,000 thanks to the tremendous work and motivational training of Farris and Potch.

Larry Thomas, Chaplain, O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility, previously a Youth Correctional Counselor at the facility he is now their chaplain and provides not only support at Close but at the four facilities that make up the Northern California Youth Correctional Center. He provides both wards and staff with grief counseling and coordinates and participates in memorial services. In addition to being Religious Coordinator he also serves as the Volunteer Coordinator. He is always quick to respond to a crisis and he is respected by both wards and staff.

In addition, the awards ceremony will include the presentation of the CYA Outstanding Recognition Awards to former wards/parolees who have made significant life-style changes.

The CYA provides institutional training and parole supervision for juvenile and young adult offenders. The department also works with community organizations, local law enforcement and other agencies on gang and drug suppression and delinquency prevention activities.

The department is responsible for 13,050 juvenile and young adult offenders, with 7,700 in 11 institutions and four conservation camps, and 5,350 on parole. In addition, over 16,000 crime victims are on record to receive services from the department.