The formation of the Family Court Advisory Committee several years ago reflected the need for a more coordinated approach to youth in or entering into the justice system.
Juvenile: under 16 years of age
Juvenile delinquent (JD): a person over seven years of age and under 16 who has committed an act(s) which would be a crime if committed by an adult.
PINS (Persons in Need of Supervision): juveniles under 16 (no minimum) who, because of repeated and patterned non-criminal acts (e.g., runaways, incorrigible behavior, insubordination, truancy), are considered by family and/or school and/or police and/or courts as in need of additional supervision.
JD or Pins Petitions: formal complaints by schools, County Attorney, family, etc. to the Family Court.
Informal Cases: cases filtered out in Probation "intake" without formal petition.
Intake: that part of the Probation Dept. where preliminary referral decisions are made.
Non-Secure Facility: open, temporary holding facility for juveniles pending disposition or awaiting longer-term placement. Cannot be detained longer than 45 days without formal request for extension.
Secure Facility: Non-open temporary holding facility.
Disposition: court decision regarding case in question; may be ACD (Adjourned in Contemplation of Dismissal), probation (usually with some counseling or treatment requisites), or placement. First or Youthful Offender Status: special consideration given by Courts to youths 16-18 years who are criminally arraigned for the first time on misdemeanor charges.
DESIGNATED ASSESSMENT SERVICE (DAS) 638-5544
Contact: Rhoda Butlien
Inter-Agency Team meets weekly to develop treatment plans for PINS youth and their families referred by Probation intake.
The Juvenile Referrals to Family Court flow chart summarizes the route that referrals follow as they move through the Probation Department and court processes.
Many cases involving youthful anti-social behavior are diverted from formal court handling.
Schools can play a role in diversion; guidance teachers, the school psychologist, the school community counselor may be involved.
JUVENILE INTAKE (JD) 638-5544
Contact: Jackie Storms/Marlene Lewis
Juveniles who have allegedly committed acts of delinquency are issued aappearance tickets directing them and their parents to appear at Probation. The Intake Officer develops treatment plans for appropriate youths, thus diverting them from formal court handling. Those juveniles who are not eligible to participate in this adjustment process are referred to the County Attorney, the presentment agency for possible petitioning to Family Court.
Local Police departments may have diversion programs i.e., arrangements are made with the youth to perform community service or secure personal counseling, or simply agree to discontinue undesirable behavior.
Eight police departments have juvenile officers which handle juvenile cases. In other municipalities, juvenile cases are handled by regular police staff.
Clarkstown 639-2153
Glenn Dietrich, James Doyle, David Elemendorf, Alan Fehsal, Christopher Goodyear
Haverstraw Town 429-5048
Gary Meyer
Haverstraw, Village 429-5711
Frank Alessio
Orangetown 359-3730
Robert Ruderman, James Neeck
Piermont 359-0240
Michael O'Shea
Ramapo 357-7755
James Mulroe, Richard Strathy
Spring Valley 352-1000, x385
Ed Herring, Robert Migliorato
Suffern 357-4400/2300
Raymond Sheehan
Stony Point 786-2242
Robert Manasier
Family Court
Hears cases involving youth under 16. Also hears cases involving whole families, custody cases, support, etc.
Judge William Warren 638-5327
Criminal cases involving youth over 16 years are handled in the same fashion as those involving older persons, unless the offender is given first offender status (in which case special considerations may be made).
Juveniles for whom detention prior to the court hearing is required can be detained in non-secure detention in Spring Valley. (This facility is provided by St. Agatha's through agreement and contract with the County.) The closest secure detention for juveniles is in Highland, New York.
Non-juveniles are detained in the County jail pending adjudication.
FORENSIC TEAM 638-5425
Clinically trained consultative team evaluates cases before Family Court and advises judges before dispositions are decided.
Contact: Alan Tuckman, M.D.
PINS DIVERSION PROJECT 364-2320
Contact: Michele Katz
This is a voluntary diversion program (one-year commitment) for youth being considered for a PINS petition which provides therapeutic family and individual counseling.
VOLUNTEER COUNSELING SERVICE (VCS) 634-5729
151 S. Main St., New City
Contact: Marge Lipson
Volunteer counselors trained and supervised by professional staff provide services with emphasis on "life-counseling," family-child relationships, post divorce visitation program, mediation services.
Mental Health Clinics (See Outreach Services)
Walk-in Counseling Centers (See Outreach Services)
Legal Aid Society 634-3627
2 Congers Rd., New City
Provides mandated legal representation in the courts for indigent persons.
Big Brother/Big Sister Program 353-1077
729 W. Nyack Rd., West Nyack 10994
Contact: Marlene Abrams
Volunteers serve as Big Brother or Big Sister to a youth "at-risk" of entering court system, providing a supportive, close relationship often missing in "at-risk" youth's life.
Youth courts are in Clarkstown (contact: Christopher Goodyear 634-9438) and in Orangetown (contact: Robert Ruderman 359-3730).
POLICE STATIONS
Someone is on duty at police stations and most firestations, so they are a source of help or information.
Ambulance corps providing free 24-hour service can be reached through police departments.
ROCKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 638-5466 or 638-5400
Sheriff: James Kralik
CLARKSTOWN 634-2400
10 Maple Ave., New City 10956
Town Police (serve all of Clarkstown, West Nyack and Upper Nyack)
HAVERSTRAW 354-1500
Town police (serve unincorporated Haverstraw, W. Haverstraw and part of Pomona Rt. 202, Garnerville, Mt. Ivy)
Haverstraw Village, Fairmount Ave. 429-5711
ORANGETOWN 359-3700 Town Police (serve unincorporated areas)
Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, Village of Nyack
Piermont, 478 Piermont Ave. 358-0240
S. Nyack/Grandview, 282 S. Broadway 358-0206
RAMAPO
Town Police (serve Chestnut Ridge, Wesley Hills, New Hempstead, Hillburn, New Square, part of Pomona, Montebello, Sloatsburg and unincorporated Ramapo and Airmont areas).
Spring Valley, 200 N. Main St 356-7400
Suffern, 61 Washington St. 357-2300
Suffern, Rt. 59 357-2400
STONY POINT 786-2744
Town Police, 79 Central Dr. 786-2422
PARK POLICE Palisades 786-2781/2
NY Thruway, Troop T 524-0200
STATE POLICE, Rt. 303, W. Nyack 353-1100/942-0300
Police/ Family /School /Other
Probation Intake
Informal Handling Referral to County (with possible referral Attorney for filing to Mental Health Center, of a JD Petition VCS, Preventive Services, Private therapy, other PINS PETITION agencies) For PINS, FILED referrals are made by the Designated Assessment Service (DAS)
Adjusted First Appearance in Court Arraignment and Fact-Finding
Law Guardian appointed (Fact-finding may require additional appearances to complete)
Admission
Adjudication or Dismissal
Denial
Probation investigations are done during this part of the proceeding to provide court with an evaluated basis on which to make a disposition
Dispositional Hearing
Adjournment Probation Placement in a contemplation Supervision residential treatment of Dismissal (ACD), facility, foster Conditional Discharge, care, group home
Suspended judgement or DFY