Youth Criminal Justice Academy to Start on September 25th, 2008

For Immediate Release: September 16, 2008
Contact: Katherine Hatos 355-6877 or Journey Beard 355-1881

Due to overwhelming demand, the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) announced its second Youth Criminal Justice Academy.  The academy is a 4-week course being held on consecutive Thursday evenings, beginning Thursday, September 25th through Thursday, October 16th, 2008 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The academy was created by the CJC to educate Palm Beach County youth about the criminal justice system and to introduce young people to local criminal justice professionals. The course will cover aspects of the criminal justice system and provide a general knowledge of the system from the perspective of criminal justice professionals. Presentations will include a special emphasis on the juvenile justice system.

The academy will be taught by criminal justice practitioners and class sessions will be held at the West Palm Beach Police Department’s community room, located at 600 Banyan Avenue in West Palm Beach. 

Police Chief Delsa Bush, West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel and Palm Beach County Chairperson Addie Greene will give opening remarks during the first class. The second class will feature presentations by the Palm  Beach County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit, Medical Examiner’s Office, Helicopter Unit, Bomb Squad, and Crime Scene Investigations. The third session will include a field trip to the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center and a presentation by Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.  The final class will include instruction by the county’s State Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, and other officials.

The academy is free, with registration limited to the first 50 people.  Students must be between the ages of 12 to 18 to attend.

Please email your registration form to gnowalk@pbcgov.com or register at the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission office located on the 10th Floor of the Governmental Center, 301 N. Olive Ave, Suite 1001, West Palm Beach or by calling Glenna Nowalk at 355-4943. 

The registration form is available online at: http://www.pbcgov.com/criminaljustice/currentevents/academy.htm