Welcome to eFocus, an electronic newsletter produced by
the NYS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives.
As part of DPCA's goal to promote public safety through
probation services and other community corrections programs,
it publishes this newsletter. We welcome your suggestions.
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eFocus, Issue Number 14, August 21, 2003
NYS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives
Sara Tullar Fasoldt, State Director
Robert Maccarone, Executive Deputy Director
http://dpca.state.ny.us
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1. DNA collection by Suffolk County Probation results
in offender arrest
The Suffolk County Police Department has made a significant
arrest in a DNA Databank match against an offender whose
DNA sample was submitted on May 2, 2003 by the Suffolk County
Department of Probation. Although substantial strides have
been made in reducing the sample collection backlog, collection
activity dropped off during the summer months. Our goal
is to eliminate the sample backlog during the month of September.
DPCA wants to emphasize the importance of probation department
policies that insure the identification of DNA sample cases
and sample collection at the earliest possible time. Department
policies must ensure that discharges from probation supervision
have been checked to see that DNA samples have been collected
where appropriate. DPCA recognizes the fine work done by
probation departments in DNA sample collection. For additional
information on the DNA Databank contact Cecile Hill at DCJS
at chill@dcjs.ny.gov or (518) 457-8417.
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2. DPCA to convene meeting of Shared Population Programs
in October
The seven programs funded under the Services for a Shared
Population: Defendants and Offenders with Mental Illness
will be meeting in Albany on Wednesday, October 15, 2003
at the offices of the NYS Conference of Local Mental Hygiene
Directors, Inc. Members of the State Shared Services Work
Group, a multi-agency group with criminal justice, substance
abuse, mental heath and social services expertise will attend.
Please contact Michael Kendall, DPCA Community Corrections
Representative at 518-457-0497 or mkendall@dpca.state.ny.us
for more information.
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3. Probation Officer of the Year hails from Seneca County
DPCA State Director Sara Tullar Fasoldt presented the Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives' 2003 Probation
Officer of the Year award to Brian Thomas, a Seneca County
Senior Probation Officer. This award is presented annually
as part of the New York State Probation Officer's Association
(POA) Training and Conference, held this year at the Hudson
Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy, New York from July
30-August 1, 2003. Probation Officer Thomas was nominated
for the award by Seneca County Probation Director Terry
Lee, who praised Mr. Thomas' dedication and leadership.
Director Lee highlighted Officer Thomas' professional initiatives
in working with troubled youth and families, in close harmony
with schools, mental health agencies, and parents. Since
his appointment to Senior Probation Officer, Mr. Thomas
has taken an active role in coordinating Persons In Need
of Supervision (PINS) and Juvenile Delinquency services
to youth and families, and collaborating with school authorities.
Congratulations Officer Thomas!
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4. Youth Assessment Screening Instrument (YASI) training
to continue this fall
Last April, DPCA conducted Initial YASI training in Orange
and Chemung Counties. Individuals who attended this initial
training are required to attend follow-up training this
fall. This includes Phase 3 counties, as well as newly assigned
juvenile officers from Phase 1 and 2 sites who previously
attended initial training Oct 2002 - January 2003. The dates
for the fall Follow-up Training in Orange and Chemung Counties
are as follows:
September 23 and 24, 2003 - Orange County
September 25 and 26, 2003 - Chemung County
Please contact Yvonne Behan, DPCA Criminal Justice Representative
at (518) 457-5275 or ybehan@dpca.state.ny.us by Friday,
August 29, 2003 for information.
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5. DPCA's Probation Officer Safety Training and new
Fundamentals Instructors announced
Probation Officer Safety and Survival Training will be hosted
by the Putnam County Probation Department September 3-5,
2003. A second Train the Trainer program for the Safety
training will be held in Batavia, New York at the Immigration
and Customs Enforcement center September 8-10, 2003. For
more information, please contact Steve Powers at DPCA at
powers@dpca.state.ny.us or (518) 485-2402.
DPCA welcomes new instructors to the Albany Fundamentals
program beginning in late September. Jeff Walraven, Probation
Officer in Dutchess Co. --Strength Based Approaches and
Basic Interviewing Skills; Joseph Mancini, Deputy Director
and Julia Febo, probation officer in Schenectady Co. will
be instructing in the Family Court Act and Intake, as will
Rensselaer County Probation Officers Christine Rockwell
and Carolyn West. Also from Rensselaer County, we welcome
PO Janice Bell and Grace Smythe, CASAC from the Hudson Mohawk
Recovery Center who will instruct in Alcohol and Other Drugs.
John Adams, Supervisor with the Warren County Probation
Dept. will instruct in Pre-Sentence Investigations.
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6. Management Skills for Supervisors
Would you like to experience DPCA's highly-regarded "Management
Skills for Supervisors," this fall? DPCA is looking
for a department to host the two-day seminar. Experienced
supervisors from local probation departments facilitate
the program. The Management Skills Program includes modules
on enhancing communication and employee performance, problem
solving and different management styles. Contact Pat Butler,
DPCA Community Corrections Representative at 518-485-5139,
pbutler@dpca.state.ny.us, if your department would like
to host this training or for additional information.
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7. Prober Regional User Meetings to held in September
Prober-Plus users meetings will be held in September. Counties
considering Prober-Plus may also attend. The Prober-Plus
vendor (QC Microsystems) will be present at the following
meetings: Tuesday 9/16-Albany, Wednesday 9/17-Ithaca, and
Thursday 9/18-Batavia. The schedule for each day includes
a demo for non-users (or new staff) from 9:30 am -11:30
am. User meetings will be conducted 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm
each day. Please submit agenda ideas to Terry Carpenter,
QC MicroSystems, Inc. at terryc@qcmicro.com or 608-259-1930
by September 5th. For more information contact Barbara Gordon
of DCJS at Gordon@dcjs.ny.gov.
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8. Probation Agencies on NYS Dept. of Health AIDS Institute
mailing list
Probation Staff Development Officers are now on the mailing
list and e-mail distribution list of the AIDS Institute.
Basic courses in HIV and AIDS are offered at Regional Training
Centers and are free of charge. A detailed description of
the courses is included in the Statewide Calendar located
at www.health.ny.gov/nysdoh/aids/index.htm.
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9. DPCA and NYS Department of Health collaborate: registration
fee waived for Brain Injury Conference in October
"I am the Central Park Jogger: a Story of Hope and
Possibility" author Ms. Trisha Meili will deliver the
keynote address at NYS Health Department's 10th Annual Brain
Injury Conference This year's conference, entitled "Working
Together: The Best Practice" will be held Wednesday,
October 8, 2003 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New
York. The registration fee for probation and ATI staff is
being waived. This conference is intended to add impetus
to consumer directed community based initiatives and provide
the most affordable accessible opportunities possible for
learning, training, networking and sharing. For more information
contact Laura Roe at (518) 474-6580 or lar04@health.state.ny.us
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10. NYS Coalition Against Sexual Assault hosts free
workshops across the state
Do you know what sexual assault services and resources are
available in your community? Free workshops are scheduled
across NYS featuring local and regional experts who will
address legal issues, Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE)
concerns and questions and provide participants with a comprehensive
understanding of sexual assault. Pre-registration is required.
Please contact (518) 482-4222 or visit www.nyscasa.org for
more information.
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11. Welcomes, Rewards and Remembrances
Bernard Martin Marosek, Probation Supervisor with the Onondaga
Probation Department died suddenly on July 23rd of a stroke.
Supervisor Marosek was the recipient of DPCA's Probation
Victim Services Professional of the Year Award in 2000.
He began working for the Onondaga Probation Department in
1969 and was promoted to Supervisor in 1984. He had supervised
the Domestic Violence/Sex Offender Unit since 1990 and was
instrumental in developing the implementation of Megan's
Law in Onondaga County, the coordination of the Sex Offender
Registry and DNA collection. Officer Marosek also served
as liaison to the Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederation
and was a past President of the NYS Probation Officers Association.
We extend our condolences to Probation Supervisor Bernard
Marosek's family and co-workers.
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eFocus is the property of the NYS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives. Articles may be reprinted with attribution to the Division. For more information on any of the topics mentioned above, to report any difficulties you may have experienced receiving this email, or, if you have information you would like posted in the next issue of DPCA's eFocus, please contact Yvonne Behan at (518) 457-5275 or at ybehan@dpca.state.ny.us.
Editor's Note: The eFocus is now distributed to well over
3000 community corrections professionals across New York
State. You may receive more than one copy if your name and
email address appear on different criminal justice and community
corrections mailing lists. If so, please e-mail Yvonne Behan
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