Pinellas County’s juvenile justice citizens’ academy lets you peek behind the curtain.

PINELLAS COUNTY – The Pinellas County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative will be hosting a free 10-week Juvenile Justice Citizens’ Academy from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays from March 31 to June 2. Participants in the program will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with professionals who work in the juvenile justice system.

Applications can be found online. The deadline to apply for the program is Friday (March 18). Participants are expected to attend a minimum of eight out of the 10 sessions.

A citizens’ academy is a civic education program that helps promote informed and involved citizenship.

“The Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Citizens’ Academy will increase awareness and understanding of the juvenile justice system in our county,” said Gina Gibbs, Pinellas County JDAI coordinator.

Each week the class will meet at a different facility for an up-close view of how services are provided in Pinellas County for detained and at-risk youth and their families. Some of the areas to be discussed include prevention, civil citation, probation, residential commitment, community-based programs, Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center, Pinellas Regional Detention Center, Unified Family Court, the State Attorney’s Office, and the Public Defender’s Office.

For information about the JDAI, go to pinellascounty.org.

To apply for the academy, go to pinellascounty.org.

Pinellas County | Juvenile Crime | Juvenile Justice | Juvenile Justice Citizens’ Academy | TB Reporter

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