Latest / This Week in Westchester: The Podcast / Westchester, Explained 35: New Careers, New Opportunities - Westchester's Youth Detention Facility

Transcript

Westchester, Explained 35: New Careers, New Opportunities - Westchester's Youth Detention Facility · This Week in Westchester: The Podcast

• 0:06
  SPEAKER_02: Hi, Westchester.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Westchester County Government Communications Director Catherine Chaffee.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_02: And as an extension of This Week in Westchester, the podcast, we welcome you to Westchester Explained.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_02: In this episode, we take a closer look at a major new initiative in Westchester County that's creating career opportunities while helping young people.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: We sit down with Westchester County Probation Commissioner Rocco Posey and Acting Human Resources Commissioner Gina Pickenich to discuss the county's transition to directly operating our youth detention facility and the approximately 150 new positions being created to support this effort.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_02: We'll explore the importance of these jobs and how they provide the opportunity to truly have a positive impact on young people involved in the juvenile justice system with the focus on rehabilitation and preparing them for a successful return to their communities.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_02: And we also discuss the benefits of a career in county government, the training available to new employees, and how you can apply for these rewarding positions.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: Join us as we explore how this initiative is creating opportunities to build meaningful careers, change lives, and strengthen our communities.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_02: Because this is Westchester explained.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: So let's begin.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_02: So here in the podcast studio today, we have two veteran government officials with us, and I'm really excited to have you both here.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm gonna ask you both to introduce yourself.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: So uh I'm Acting Commissioner of Human Resources, Gina Pignanch.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Great.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm Rocco Posey, I'm the Commissioner of Probation for Westchester.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: How long have you been the commissioner?
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: 37 years.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_02: I remember when I was a reporter, I used to interview you.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: Pretty amazing.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_02: So we're here today because um we have an opportunity here in Westchester that we haven't never had before.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and what it is is that we are hiring.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_02: We are going to be taking over Woodfield, formerly known as Woodfield Cottage, now just known as Woodfield juvenile well why don't you say the official name?
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: The official name now is the Westchester County Youth Detention Facility.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I yeah, we were trying to figure out where Woodfield came from, and it's definitely not cottage.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: You used to call it Woodfield Cottage, you know.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: But uh but I think for the sake of you know, the uh new project where we're building a new facility, you know, we decided to rename it, you know, to uh to be more appropriate.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: This Westchester County.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: Correct, right.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_02: So so this is a juvenile detention facility and Westchester County.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_02: It's building one and and also going to be staffing it, which had we have never done that before.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's correct.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know, for as long as I can remember, uh, we've always contracted this service out.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, we've we've had a number of agencies in over the years that have provided the service and running the uh the facility, although Westchester always maintained oversight.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the probation department played that role for a number of years.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: And prior to us doing that, the Department of Social Services, you know, provided that uh that service.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Uh but it's been with us for the last 20 years almost.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: And um and like I said, you know, we we we've had good partnerships, but uh we we were kind of an anomaly in the state.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: Most of the detention facilities in the state are run by the government.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so I think we were one of two left that were still contracting it out.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: So now we're getting in line, you know, with the breath of the state, you know, to um, you know, to have the the county actually run the facility.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And actually, we were getting pushed by the state for a number of years to consider that option, and we're now gonna opt into it.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's important to really highlight that this is the norm, this is the best practice for the government to run this facility.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_02: That's correct.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna be running this facility, but uh in order to do that, we have to hire quite a bit of quite a quite a uh, you know, I don't want to say a large amount of staff, but you have to hire staff to run this facility.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_02: So, do you know what are some of the positions that we're looking to hire for?
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so we're looking for youth detention specialists uh and also youth detention specialists that are Spanish speaking.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we also need a rapid response uh detention specialist who might deal with uh emergent situations.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um and that's again both in English and in Spanish.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: And then we need supervisors uh for these teams.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: There are some other positions that are more back office, like accounting and things like that, in order to just uh make sure administration is functioning effectively.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but the the largest groups uh are these youth detention specialists.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, it's it's an exciting opportunity uh to make your career with the county is really an excellent choice.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, people go into government service for a variety of reasons, but one of them is to have an impact.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: And in this type of role, you have a direct impact on the lives of others.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, and if that's something that speaks to you and speaks to your heart and speaks to your mind, these sorts of opportunities you should take a close look at.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_02: And that's I mean, that's the reason we have you here today because it it is it's a tremendous opportunity.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it really is.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_02: And now, Rocco, for for people who are not familiar with what e-youth detention centers do, explain to me.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_02: You know, obviously, these are um young people who have who are accused of crimes, uh serious crimes.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but talk to me a little bit more about that.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: Why are they there?
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_02: How how does it work?
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Well, m most of the most of the youth who are there have committed a serious offense because um uh most of the judges, the family court judges in Westchester, you know, they don't put kids in detention that have done minor things, misdemeanors, or even some felonies, you know, that may not be as dangerous as some of the crimes that have been committed.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Usually you find kids in there that have you know committed what we call designated felonies, you know, robberies, you know, sometimes sexual assaults, even homicides to some degree.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um but you know, our job is to hold uh these kids until they have their day in court.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: And uh one of the things that we try to do while we have them is to try to do something productive.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know, even though they're with us, you know, we still had the opportunity to try to have a positive impact, you know, and perhaps work out a plan that we can introduce to the judge, to the court, for consideration of doing something other than incarcerating these kids.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: Our primary goal is really to try to keep as many kids as we can in the community to take advantage of the programs and services that are available in the communities.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there are many more that are available in the communities as compared to what we can do, you know, in a detention facility.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: So it's important to have good staff working in the facility, because to some degree, just like probation officers, you know, they become role models sometimes for these kids.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: So if you can project a positive image, if you can give positive reinforcement to these kids while they're under our care, they're under our care and custody.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's important.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, just not custody.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: We think of detention facilities, you know, that we got these kids and they're behind bars and they're, you know, and we're holding them, you know, there, they they're restricted.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's it's it's not really like that.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: As a matter of fact, we really aim to try to provide a lot of services and a lot of programs, such as educational programs.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's very important, you know, educational programs.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Because the one thing that I can tell you that I've learned in all the years that I've been in criminal justice, there is a direct correlation between education and crime.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: The more educated you are, the less likely you are to commit a crime.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now we know that we've had some very educated people, you know, commit crimes.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: It happens.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: It happens.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, the likelihood, you know, is that you won't if you have an education.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: So we really focus in on, you know, trying to make sure that we get these kids re-engaged with school.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: Because quite frankly, a lot of these kids, while they were in school, were not doing well, they were not productive, they were causing problems, and the schools really didn't want them.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: So when they were able to move them out, they wouldn't take them back.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: So now this is an opportunity, unfortunately, having to come to a detention facility that we can re-engage them, get them interested again in education, and try to get them, you know, a GED, maybe move on even beyond that.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, our goal is to make sure that these kids are safe, but at the same time, we are doing something very productive.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: To do that, you gotta have great staff.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: And that's that's this is what it's all about.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_02: So we you know, I keep saying the word kids.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, how old are these young people?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: They can be, they can range from 13 uh to actually, you know, it's really 13 up to the age of 18.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: But we do have people and they're beyond the age of 18.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Uh prior to the uh raise the age legislation, you know, the age of juvenile delinquency was from you know up to six up to 16 years old.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: That was raised to 18 years old.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: So you could have somebody arrested when they're 17 years old and nine months, you know, and they need to be held.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: So we can have kids in there 20, 21 years old, you know, now.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: So that's a bit of big change, you know, that we could uh and also another big change is that um you can serve some of your time.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you do receive a sentence, you can serve up to a year, you know, in the facility.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: So that's that's a big change too.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_02: It's you know, 13 years old, 14 years old, 18, 20 years old.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_02: I mean she's so incredibly young.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: So young.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_02: So young.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, of course, we can't gloss over the fact that they they've committed or an accused of serious crimes, which is serious.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: But when you are that young and you are accused or convicted of something very serious, you you're gonna end at some point you're coming out because you've just because you're just so young.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_02: So do you feel like you're also focusing on, you know, they're gonna come back to society.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_02: How do you want them to come back?
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_02: Is that sort of what you focus on every day?
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's absolutely correct, Catherine.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's what we try to do.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: We try to get these kids ready to go back to the community.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and and we don't do that by ourselves.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we you know, we've got to we've got to depend on social services and department of social services to work with us, you know, because a lot of times, you know, there are multiple issues going on in these kids' lives.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you have kids that come in that have some mental health issues that need to be addressed.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Some of them have physical issues too that haven't been addressed.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, uh we also gotta make sure that they have a place to go back to that is healthy, right?
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes the environments that they're coming from are not healthy.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they're they're they're just you know the the family structure is not a healthy one, and we've got to try to work with the family to re-engage that so that we can have the child released back to the family, and we know that they're gonna continue with some of the services that we may have started, you know, in the facility, and also make sure that whatever court orders, you know, uh have been imposed, you know, as part of the case are followed.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because we don't want the child coming back because you know things are not being followed up on.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_02: And so the people that um apply for these positions and end up working in these facilities, what is the day-to-day like?
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_02: Is it um I'm assuming it must be very um emotional?
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you're you're you're working with I mean, these we use the word kids, okay.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: And they are.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: They're kids.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: They're kids.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, they really are.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're kids.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they're they have done something stupid, you know, they got themselves in trouble, right, and now they're with us.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: And we have to treat them like that.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: We have to understand that, you know, they're not adults yet.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: They're not a yeah, you can't treat them as adults.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: And that has been one of the big problems in New York State for many a year, that we were treating, you know, once you turn 16 years old, you became an adult.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: No, you don't can become an adult.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: You don't even become an adult at 18.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: We know that.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's not until you get into your 20s when you really can consider yourself to be an adult.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: So we have to adopt a model that is a lot different than what we use with adults.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what we've been able to do in Westchester, not only in the detection facility, but also in our probation supervision protocols.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we started way before Raise the Age was ever passed in treating 16 and 17-year-olds in a juvenile model, not an adult model.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: All right, we didn't need legislation to tell us that we needed to treat 16 and 17-year-olds a lot different.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the mindset that we also have, you know, in the detention facility.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: That our goal there, you know, is to really work with these kids as much as we can.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_02: So are the staff there?
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_02: Are they like getting them up, getting them going to school?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_02: What is that day-to-day life?
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, while they wake up, we make sure that they that they get their nutrition, all right.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we make sure that they take care of their rooms, that their rooms are clean, that they they they make their beds, they're responsible for doing all that, you know, and then we are responsible for getting them into the programs because they spend most of the day in program.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, whether it's educational programs or all you know, all the other programs that we bring into the facility.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we make sure that they get there safely, and the staff there will monitor to make sure that there's no problems while they're in the in the in the programs.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, this you know, kids can act out.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: Kids are kids.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's uh you know, they act out in school where it's not a detention facility, and they can act out, you know, in a detention facility.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, our staff is trained, you know, though these people who we will hire will be trained to learn how to de-escalate situations before we have to get involved in, you know, in and trying to prevent these kids from you know hitting each other or having physical confrontation.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: So a lot of the training really focuses in on de-escalating.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how can we prevent things from happening?
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: Stay ahead of the curve, is what we just say.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: So, Gina, yeah, people who want, people who are hearing this and thinking, you know, this is something I I might be interested in.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_02: I want to apply, I want to learn more, what should they do?
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so um, if you go to probation.westchestercounty ny.gov, there's a more robust uh explanation of the job and the job specs and responsibilities.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: We're looking for folks who have some experience with youth, but uh the commissioner pointed out that there's a full training program, a very robust training program.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_01: So um you're gonna be given the tools and skills that you need to be successful so that you can be supported uh in this role.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um so yeah, so if you go to that website, you can apply.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: So all the directions for doing so are there.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um and you need to share your qualifications, your background and experience.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, the thing that I will also share is that there is, you know, uh an appropriate background check that extends through the process.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_01: We have to make sure that folks who are uh in these roles are suitable to be in these roles.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: So um that is part of the process as well.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um but um there there's been enthusiasm and a good response.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would strongly, strongly encourage those who are interested, uh, go right now.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Open up your computer and go to probation.westchestercounty ny.gov and make your application today.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: And um, even if you're not sure, you by doing that, you will learn more about the process, and that will help you make that determination rather than just make it in isolation, having just listened to this.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: So, so so so do it.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um submit the application.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, I just I have to just share just a little bit more again.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: You know, working for Westchester County is a really great choice.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there are many benefits that come outside of just having an impact.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: And again, here you're having a direct impact, but um the obvious stuff like healthcare, vision, dental, uh, you get to become part of a pension system, which again, I know if you're young, you're not thinking about 20 years from now, 30 years from now.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_01: But it comes quick.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: It does.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's surprising how quick it comes.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: So being able to have a pension, which is so rare, you know, in today and certainly never in a corporate environment.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, so there's uh there's holidays that are paid, uh, there's uh vacation time.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: So so all of this comes as a total compensation package.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_01: So not only are you doing good work, uh, but the compensation that comes with that um is different that you'd see in other places.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_01: So Westchester County is really an employer of choice.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: And it's interesting because I find that people who don't work in government don't think about working in government.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_01: If you don't have a friend or a parent or someone that you know that's in government, it just doesn't enter your line of vision.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: So I'd encourage folks to think about it because again, Westchester County is an employer of choice.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_02: How many positions are we hiring?
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh about 90, right?
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: Well, direct care staff, yes.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the total number of people that we will be hiring is 150.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the direct care staff, the supervisors, the response team, and then of course your administrative structure.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the director, you know, the director of security, you know, all the other positions that you need to have in order to run a facility.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: So but Gina hit a hit a point.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we talk about training, all right, the staff.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's very important to go through the initial training so that when you when you do finish it, you can go into the building and you can, you know, you have some sense of what needs to be done through the training.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: But training is ongoing.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it just doesn't stop with the initial, you know, we'll call it this Quick Academy, yeah, you know, that we're where we have to put together, you know, to train people.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: But there's ongoing training that people will receive in order to, you know, get more skills, to sharpen the skills that they already have, you know, so they'll be able to, you know, take advantage of uh, you know, in even educational programs that might be might be available that they can take.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_02: So um and you've I mean you've obviously dedicated your life to probation, to to criminal justice.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um why would you encourage somebody to go to this field?
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's very rewarding.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, to get a chance to work with someone young, you know, that's you can still provide guidance to that perhaps you can save their lives to some degree.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh y you don't give very many of those opportunities and jobs, you know, that lie outside of uh of government.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, gov that's the one thing that government, you know, allows, as Gina had said.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you know, and there are certain things, you know, people don't people always think of the private sector always being able to do things better than the government.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: In this field, the government does a much better job in operating juvenile detention facilities and even adult facilities where they've experimented in having privatized prisons, they've been total failures.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: This is one thing that government, not just saying the only thing, but when it comes to this type of work, government does it better than the private sector.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: And we're competitive with salaries and and the benefits.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'll I'll put our benefits package with any in the country and we'll be all.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: And you also mentioned, I mean, yes, all that is important, um, for sure.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you mentioned something earlier about like being a role model.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: So you have an opportunity to be a role model.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_00: Very much so.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, kids look up to you.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, if you can establish a relationship, they will respond to you.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if you go in there and you act like an idiot, well, they're going to respond that way.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: And we hope that that doesn't happen.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: You're not going to last too long.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but so I had a workforce.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: But if you do the job the right way, you take it serious and you want to be that role model, the impact.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: I I and I see it with my probation officers.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the I have probationers that have been off probation for years, still come back and talk to their probation officers, especially when they're having problems.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: They don't they don't hesitate to pick up the phone and talk to their probation officer.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: And our officers will always find time, you know, to talk to them, to try to help them out, even have them come in if they need to, so that we can talk to them and help them.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_00: Again, to prevent them from you know getting in front having trouble again, yeah.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: Getting in having problems, you know.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_02: So like a beautiful thing, honestly, when you put it that way, that these are people who, you know, you're catching them after they've made probably the biggest mistake of their life.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_02: You're their probation officer, you you get them on the right path, and yet they're still coming back.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: They're still coming back to just talk to you.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_02: It's amazing.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: It is, you know, and I think you know, when we we could spend a whole day talking about the things that probation does, but the one thing that most people don't realize about probation, because they think of probation as someone getting in trouble, they go to court, and a judge imposes a period of probation supervision, and we monitor their behavior.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's anything but that, you know.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and people have no idea the amount of work that we do in the family court with kids that have got.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Gotten in trouble.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Not only in detention, but anyone who gets any juvenile who gets arrested does something wrong, they don't go to court.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: They don't go they come to the probation department.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: They receive what we call uh you know a a ticket uh to come to the probation department and and a parent's ticket, we call it, and they're sent to the probation department.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: And we will look at what happened.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: And if we think that we can adjust that case and work with the child and the family, and we can do that up to up to six months, and if we can work with them and we feel positive that it's not going to happen again, we adjust the case, and that case never goes to court, and that child's record is sealed as if it never happened.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: So they don't have any stigma associated to these.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's the role of the probation department.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_00: The probation officer makes that decision.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: And people have no idea that something like that occurs in a probation department, especially in New York.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, as I've just as as I continue to hear you talking, Commissioner, I just keep thinking about a few things that you've said of me.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: You're you're changing lives and saving lives.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: And that is really amazing.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: And and how many career opportunities can you say that about?
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: So very few.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: And and where they will allow us, we work with the families too.
• 23:24
  unknown: Yeah.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: We work, you know, it's just not as I said earlier.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, people's house.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you you just can't focus in on the child because they gotta have a healthy environment and everyone's gotta be, you know, firing on the same cylinders, you know.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: Wow, okay.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: If we don't, then we're just gonna have this kid right back through the system.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um another thing that I really love about your department is um, and there's so many things, but uh how much uh what is the percentage of female employees in the tradition?
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: The last time I looked at it, I think we're close to 70 percent on the arm.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, yeah.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I I put I I put them up against any.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they know they do, you know, the all the staff do a great job there.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So incredible, incredible.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you so much for coming in today.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: Anything else you want to share?
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, no, no, I just want yeah, yeah.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: I just I just want to reinforce again.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: So youth detention specialists, both English speaking and Spanish speaking, um, those are you know the key roles that we're looking for, immediate fills, but also this rapid response specialists in English and Spanish, and then supervisors uh for these teams.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: You want to have you know some level of experience.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and uh again, the training is uh initial and ongoing.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to repoint that, you know, it's state required.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_01: So we're not talking about a little flippant PowerPoint.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: We're talking about real robust substantial training for you to be successful in the role.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_01: And um how you'd apply for that again, you go to probation.westchestercounty ny.gov.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, there's a more robust description, and um you can apply right there.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_02: And if people want to call the phone number here, 914-995-6616.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_02: There you go.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_02: Say it again, 914-995-6616.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: Excellent.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I would also say to follow up with what Gene is saying, is that when you look at the uh qualifications for the position, and if you think you may not have all the qualifications, still submit your application because there are, I mean, there is some flexibility, you know, that we in the county can give, and also the state, you know, when meeting the qualifications for the position.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so you never know.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_02: You could think you're applying for one position and find out that you're actually very qualified for another.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_02: It's just you never know.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: So send the application in and we'll we'll work with it and we'll we will get back to you.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and do it sooner than later because we're filling positions.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: We are filling the position.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_02: This is starting as a county-run facility.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: January one.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: So we have to have people hired, you know, by November 30th so that they can begin, you know, the training, because the training is a four-week training.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: You will finish right like the Monday after Christmas, and you take the building over on January 1.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, yeah.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_02: Everybody apply, go to the website.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for both of you being here, Dave.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you for having me.