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by robinr from News

Last Post 10 days, 20 hours Ago


YOUNG AND IN TROUBLE
Oct 22, 2007 | 6:35 PM
Category: News
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but working their way out of it, about 50 teenage girls on probation in Cook County giving their guests and mentors such earnest attention last weekend! The conference on careers introduced them to the life and style they can still attain if they make the right moves -- away from the poor choices that landed them in front of a judge! Saturday they sat with judges, and state's attorneys, and probation officers and other staff of the Cook County Juvenile Justice Center ... each devoting some of their own time to give a boost to these young ladies' chances at success. The girls themselves chose to attend, not just biding their time under the courts' supervision, but using the time and opportunities to learn. The innovative GIRLS2WOMEN program is getting lots of attention as we try to find better ways to achieve better outcomes.  A delegation of juvenile court officials from San Francisco was on hand to observe the Cook County model. Keep in mind that the "lock-up" (the detention center) here is the largest facility of it's kind in the nation, yet it is chronically over-crowded and criticized. It seems a far better option, especially with the likes of those poised and attentive ladies I met this weekend, to try instead to transform girls with a past into women with a future
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Member Comments Total Comments: 7
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pogac
Oct 22, 2007 | 9:07 PM

Ms Robinson's willingness to spend a few hours with the young ladies at the Girls2Women conference proved to be a positive experience for the young ladies. What a wonderful role model for our girls!
pogac
Oct 22, 2007 | 9:12 PM

Ms Robinson's willingness to spend a few hours with the young ladies at the Girls2Women conference proved to be a positive experience for the young ladies. What a wonderful role model for our girls!
FREEDOMFREE read my blog view my photos
Oct 23, 2007 | 8:41 PM

FREE THE PEOPLE , WAISTING LIFE FREE ,

IS OLD FREEDOM FEE ,

HOLDING PEOPLE IN CAPTIVITY ,

IS OLD FREEDOM FEE , SLAVERY ,

ANIMALS FREE , NOT HUMAS YA SEE ,

NEW FREEDOM FREE , IS FREE AS CAN BE ,

THE VOTE IS SEE , VOTE FOR FREE ,

FREEDOMFREE , I JUST CAN SEE ,

NOBODY ,

BUT FREEDOMFREE , TO SEE YOU FREE .
jamesryan read my blog view my photos
Oct 24, 2007 | 5:05 PM

Is this program worth using tax payers dollars on?
pogac
Oct 24, 2007 | 9:17 PM

The conference is not funded by tax dollars, but supported by private donors, grants and fundraisers. Programs like this have made The Cook County Juvenile Court a model in juvenile justice nationwide.
SkeeterAndBbrother read my blog
Nov 1, 2007 | 5:14 PM

So, bottom line---what does this program DO for the girls?
robinr read my blog
Nov 14, 2007 | 9:47 PM

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to that last question! What it DOES is expose them to people and ideaas and places and opportunities and values that they might not otherwise learn about. There is almost always something (or everything) negative in the life of a youngster who ends up in the juvenile justive system. The idea is to convince them that those negative conditions do not excuse negative behavior, that they will have to own the consequences, so they should and can create a better outcome for themselves. This "educational" approach has proven (by the lower rate of repeat offenders) far more successfull than locking 'em up.
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robinr

Robin Robinson has been anchoring the evening broadcast at Fox News Chicago since it debuted in 1987. A veteran reporter and constant suppporter of efforts to improve the quality of life in what she considers the world's greatest city, Robin can also be heard each weekday evening during the 5pm hour on WGCI FM, 107.5 with a preview of the stories in the works for Fox News Chicago at 9.

Member Since: 11/15/2006


 

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