1Designating the week of October 20 through 24, 2014, as
2"Juvenile Detention Centers and Alternative Programs Week" in
3Pennsylvania.

4WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has begun to reserve the use of secure
5detention for only high-risk youth offenders and is using
6alternative programming for moderate-risk and low-risk offenders
7in order to improve outcomes for youth and ensure protection of
8the community; and

9WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's 15 secure detention centers and the
10numerous alternative programs serving all 67 counties should be
11recognized for their ongoing protection of our communities and
12the service to youth in their custody or care; and

13WHEREAS, Secure detention facilities provide 726 beds
14Statewide for approximately 15,000 admissions to juvenile
15detention in this Commonwealth; and

16WHEREAS, The existence of these facilities and programs

1provide a key service to ensure community and individual
2protection; and

3WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's juvenile detention centers and
4alternative programs, adhering to the Balanced and Restorative
5Justice Model, contribute to public safety by providing a stable
6environment for at-risk youth, both preadjudicated and
7adjudicated, providing education and programming and ensuring
8sufficient opportunities for growth and development of
9Pennsylvania's youth; and

10WHEREAS, Through the continuing efforts of the juvenile
11courts of this Commonwealth, juvenile detention is utilized only
12when lesser restrictive environments are not in the best
13interest of the youth or community; and

14WHEREAS, Juvenile detention centers and alternative programs
15ensure every child's health and well-being by providing
16competency development, self-discipline and stabilization
17through comprehensive evaluations, both physical and behavioral
18health, as well as community involvement; and

19WHEREAS, Hundreds of men and women are dedicated to ensuring
20the proper care and supervision of youth and are committed to
21the protection of communities in this Commonwealth on a daily
22basis; and

23WHEREAS, Youth care workers in this Commonwealth's detention
24facilities and alternative programs stand ready on a daily basis
25to respond to youth who display an array of unresolved mental
26health, behavioral, educational and emotional issues; and

27WHEREAS, The Juvenile Detention Centers and Alternative
28Programs Association acts as a primary resource for these
29facilities offering education, representation and support for
30all of the important services that juvenile detention centers

1and alternative programs provide for this Commonwealth's youth
2and communities; and

3WHEREAS, Juvenile detention centers and alternative programs
4in this Commonwealth in coordination with the Juvenile Detention
5Centers and Alternative Programs Association merit one week of
6recognition for their unending services aimed at protecting our
7communities and assisting Pennsylvania's youth; therefore be it

8RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
9week of October 20 through 24, 2014, as "Juvenile Detention
10Centers and Alternative Programs Week" in Pennsylvania.