JDAI Newsmakers

Janice O'Mahony

Washington State Says Good-Bye to Two Reformers

Mary Williams and Janice O'Mahony both retired on June 30, 2008. Williams has been the office chief of Washington State’s Office of Juvenile Justice since 2004. O'Mahony has been board chair of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee since 2005. The Washington State JDAI has thrived under the leadership of O'Mahony and Williams. Under their leadership, JDAI sites reduced detention admissions, daily population and lengths of stay by 20% without any increases in juvenile arrests. Working as a team they helped to establish JDAI as a state model for system reform. They worked together to engage five juvenile courts in JDAI fundamentals, accounting for more than half of Washington’s juvenile population. They directed federal funding to promote expansion of JDAI strategies and secured legislative support and funding to replicate JDAI statewide. O’Mahony and Williams coordinated three highly successful JDAI state conferences and implemented a data project designed to improve the data collection and reporting capacities of the sites and to make the case for future expansion and funding. The leadership and support of these exceptional leaders will be greatly missed in Washington State.

"It's been a privilege to work with Janice over the past 20 years, trying to find ways to make the juvenile justice system work in a more efficient and humane way to improve the lives of troubled kids and their families. Janice has brought a clear voice of reason to policy debates. I will miss our formal collaborations but fully intend to consult with her often as we continue the effort to make Washington's juvenile justice system the very best in the nation," former State Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge said.

Williams and O’Mahony have agreed to remain professionally active in supporting JDAI. They were both highly effective state advisory group leaders and plan to provide on-going mentoring and technical assistance to fellow SAGs and juvenile justice specialists around the nation.


Juvenile Detention Photographer Wins Award

Renowned photographer Steve Liss received the 2008 World Understanding Award from Pictures of the Year International for his ongoing work on juvenile justice. Author of many familiar photos, his black and white photographs have graced the pages of JDAI publications, capturing the stark, heartbreaking reality facing children living behind bars. With unprecedented access, he photographed and interviewed young detainees, their parents, and detention and probation officers in Laredo, Texas. His book of photojournalism published in 2005, "No Place for Children," documents the essence of juvenile detention.

Known for his portraits of ordinary and famous people, Liss began his close-up and personal look at children in detention after covering six presidential campaigns. More than 40 of his photographs appeared on the cover of Time magazine.

View the award-winning photographs visit the Steve Liss website >>

Purchase "No Place for Children" >>

Conferees Eric Williams, Mississippi SAG member; Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ executive director; Donald Beard, Mississippi division director; Dick Lindahl, New Mexico juvenile justice specialist; Jaqueline Dedeaux, Mississippi SAG member; and Alfred Martin, Mississippi SAG member.

2008 Juvenile Justice Specialist of the Year

At the Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s annual spring conference, Investing in Our Children: Emerging Reforms in Juvenile Justice, the Tony Gobar Outstanding Juvenile Justice Specialist Award was presented to New Mexico juvenile justice specialist Richard Lindahl. One of the longest-serving juvenile justice specialists in the country, Lindahl was nominated by New Mexico’s children’s court judge for the 1^st judicial district court, Barbara J. Vigil.

Lindahl is a longtime dedicated JDAI supporter who acted as a shepherd for JDAI reforms in New Mexico. "In his own quiet and steady manner, he has contributed substantial and long-lasting improvements to our juvenile justice system," Vigil said.

The award, named in honor of the late Tony Gobar, a juvenile justice specialist from Mississippi, recognizes a state juvenile justice specialist who has exemplified excellence in service to others; has been dedicated and committed to improving the juvenile justice system; and has demonstrated compassion and concern for juveniles and advocates.

Tom Swisstack

Swisstack Wins Mayoral Contest

Thomas A. Swisstack won 57 percent of the vote to become the new mayor of Rio Rancho - the third-largest city in New Mexico. He campaigned against six other candidates and avoided a runoff by winning a majority. A man of many talents, Swisstack is the visionary director of the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center, a JDAI Model Site. He is also an elected state legislator serving New Mexico’s District 60. Swisstack intends to serve out his legislative term, which ends in December, and then focus on being mayor.

"Winning the mayoral race in the third-largest and youngest city in New Mexico provides me the opportunity to continue to work on youth issues. I intend to help prevent youth involvement in the juvenile justice system," Swisstack said.

Brenda Flynn

Flynn Named Supervisor of the Year

The Arizona Chief Probation Officers Association named Brenda Flynn, of the Pima County Juvenile Court, as Arizona’s "Probation Supervisor of the Year" for 2007. Under Brenda’s leadership, the Pima County probation office has worked to reduce its detention population; open a domestic violence program as an alternative to detention; develop an evening program for youth who violate probation; and coordinate a Multi-System Training Summit for more than 150 probation officers and case managers.

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