More Best Practices for Holidays

December 19, 2006 10:25:29 AM

It’s been wonderful to hear from so many of you what you do to help the kids deal with stressful times. I know from my own private practice, the holidays tend to bring up so many difficult issues for kids (and adults!). I know this goes for all the kids in detention and secure facilities as well. So, in continuing our conversation, here are more great ideas and stories about helping kids deal with the holidays.

How do you help youth get through the holidays?

Bob Murray, Director, Hudson County Juvenile Detention Center

Here in Hudson we are engaging the kids in writing and decoration making. We plan on posting the writings in the visiting area and the decorations will go on the three trees we will have throughout the building (main entrance, visiting and our “honors” unit). Our team met the other day to wrap things up with our education folks to make sure we covered all the areas we wanted to. Enjoy the holidays!

Walter Hopson, Assistant Chief, Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center

Thanksgiving is celebrated with a traditional turkey lunch with all of the trimmings. In preparation for the Christmas Holiday, the school teaches the various cultural traditions, i.e. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza. They also host a party for the residents on the last day of school before the holiday break. The art teacher follows along with decorations made by the residents which are put on display throughout the facility. A decorated tree is placed for all to see. A traditional turkey lunch is also served on Christmas Day. The Social Services Dept. provides Christmas cards to the residents to send home. A special holiday break recreation program is held including a 3 on 3 hoops tournament and a special bingo day where residents can acquire useful hygiene products that would otherwise not be permitted.

Fred Green, Superintendent, Burlington County Juvenile Detention Center

We happen to care for children, so they need to be treated accordingly. Christmas is for the CHILDREN. Humanity, Humility, and Hope are the best "GIFTS" we can give these children HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

Antonio Hinojosa, Juvenile Detention Officer, Union County Juvenile Detention

The best advice I could give anyone working with our troubled youth is to know your product. Work carefully with the social services deptartment, have them provide a list of resident birthdays, and or special occasions for each particular resident. Enthusiasm from the staff is very important. If the staff is not enthusiastic, then why should the residents. The Officers are not allowed to view resident files, so this is where social workers come in. We need input from them. It’s also very difficult for a resident to share his or her feelings with us at times. Some residents may find it difficult to tell anyone about their special day. Hope this helps!

Sgt. Nichelle Orange, Supervisor, Morris County Youth Detention Center

The Social Services Dept set up visits for the residents to see their families for the holidays.
Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner is provided by the Chaplain that comes in every week to meet with the residents. The residents also help with the preparation. All the food is cooked here at the facility. The residents really get a kick out of helping. Residents are allowed extra phone calls during the holiday. The Administration provides a huge holiday lunch for staff and their family members are welcome to come. One of the staff members will dress up as Santa and take pictures with staff and family members. Local churches and organizations will donate games, puzzles, recreation items, hats, gloves, socks, and books.

I enjoy working at the Detention Center around the holidays. We eliminate jams due to the fact Administration red line these holidays, so very custody staff can spend time with their family and not worry about being jammed at work. A lot of the residents are surprised to see how many officers we have working on the holidays. One resident said to me: "Officer Orange, (before I became a Sgt.) what are you doing working on Christmas? Don’t you have a family?"

I said, “I also have family here." He just looked at me and smiled, and that made me appreciate my job even more.


Best wishes for a safe holiday season!

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Best Practices: Helping Youth through the Holidays

December 6, 2006 1:47:09 PM

Question: How do you help youth through the holidays?

Fred Green, Superintendent – Burlington County Juvenile Detention Center: We recognized many years ago that holidays present stress for juveniles and staff. We try to celebrate holidays without compounding the problem.

1. We hosted a Black Friday Breakfast for juveniles/families
2. Holiday party is held each year at JDC for juveniles, attended by local church, court personnel, and Judge
3. Thanksgiving/Christmas Dinner provided by local church.
4. Relaxed schedule ie; recreational activities, movies, etc.

Roy Leitstein, Executive Director – The Children’s Home: We make sure that the kids have something to do if they can’t go home (ice skating, basketball game) something big. We also make sure that everyone has something to open on Christmas or for the holidays. In addition, we try and get them to volunteer so that they can see that there are other kids that are worse off. We have open visiting hours and provide transportation for families on the holiday if it is necessary. We also have a Christmas dinner for the kids. I don’t know how applicable it is to detention, but thought you might like to know. (We do want to know - thanks Roy!)

Tammie Pierce, Administrator – Cumberland County Juvenile Detention Center: We have a holiday party for the residents and a pot luck party for the staff. Santa visits each resident Christmas morning w/ hats, gloves, t-shirts, cards, hooded sweatshirts and new games and walk-men for their wings. Special visits are also arranged. Our union rep gets a bunch of Christmas angel requests from the Salvation Army and hangs them on our Christmas tree. Staff then pick an angel and purchase toys for that particular child. This really seems to bring out the holiday spirit in staff.

Dennis E. Hughes, Warden – Essex County Juvenile Detention Center: For the Christmas holiday we will be hosting a concert for our level four residents whom are parents. They will be allowed to have their child come in for a visit, and at the end of the session every child will be given a toy from the resident/parent. The toys are being donated by the officers. The entire facility is involved and we are very pleased with the response from everyone. Also, through our education department we have socks for seniors. In this program the kids will be donating socks to a senior citizens complex in the neighborhood. Finally, for the Thanksgiving holiday, residents were allowed to make up food baskets to give away to families in the area. The food was donated by the officers.

Craig Stellman, Chief – Johnstone Campus, JJC: I personally believe if the staff are OK, the residents are OK. The biggest stressor for staff is being stuck for Over Time on the holidays. We pre-schedule and go to line ups preaching to staff to come to work. We have not stuck anyone for mandatory OT on the major Holidays in over 3 years. Every other day of the year maybe, but on the Holidays people all do their share and everyone gets a piece of the Holiday. Staff feels good, and the residents benefit from good staff morale.

Tina Matlock, Assistant Superintendent – Monmouth County Youth Center: Throughout December, our Program Development person does activities such as holiday baking with the residents, making holiday cards to send to their families, Holiday movie night with popcorn, family visits on all holidays, extra phone calls home. Local church groups provide a musical presentation with a home cooked meal, and a goody bag (snacks, favorite magazine, crossword books) left for them for them Christmas morning.

As for our staff: We do a voluntary mid-afternoon Holiday party where staff sign up to bring in their favorite dish to share and we extend the lunch hour. Administration also provides a special meal for the staff working the holidays. Our Administration also sends out a Holiday/end of the year memo to all staff thanking them for a great job and extends their wish for a safe and happy holiday season and New Year. Our Administrator also extends these same thoughts in person at our last Staff meeting in December.

Bridget Shannon, Senior Social Worker – Monmouth County Youth Center: In Monmouth County we have a holiday party with games and karaoke. On other days through the holiday season, we bake, watch holiday movies and make holiday crafts just to keep their minds busy. We also have immediate family visits on every holiday and we try to give them extra phone calls during the season for extra support from home.
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One of the responders made this excellent point:

There are some residents and staff that believe there shouldn't be a big deal made for the holiday because it does remind them what they are missing and they become even more homesick, and therefore may act out their frustration.

That’s an understandable point of view, and I’m sure a common one. I’d say that since the kids are already feeling extra tension from the holidays, providing constructive activities and outlets will most likely prevent problems. That’s because the holiday activities and rituals give the kids a pro-social way to process their feelings, either by engaging them in conversations about the holidays or by just letting them participate. And, you can always allow the kids to opt out if the activities upset them in some way. In most cases, avoiding the issue – as attractive an option as it might sound – allows for tension to build quietly. That’s a situation we don’t want. If there’s tension, that’s pre-crisis, and we want to address pre-crisis warning signs early and often!


Once again, thanks to all of you for your great ideas. Any comments? Questions? Send them to me at jacobas@umdnj.edu and I’ll post them here. Or, register and leave your comments below.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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Getting through the holidays

December 4, 2006 5:55:17 PM

A question for Champion Teams:

What are your strategies for getting residents through the holidays?

As discussed in Creating Safe and Respectful Environments, we all know that significant events like birthdays and holidays can be considered "pre-crisis warning signs" and in best practice, are addressed early and often. One suggestion for helping residents cope with being away from family during the holidays is to simply tell the residents that you acknowledge how difficult a time it is for them.

Other facilities have special visiting hours, meals, or activities planned.

How does your facility manage the holidays? Send an email to jacobas@umdnj.edu. I'll post responses here.

Posted by Amy Jacob
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