"West Virginia Supreme Court Offers Training on Sensitivity to Diversity Issues in the Juvenile Justice System"">

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:		CONTACT:
January 28, 2004		Michelle T. Mensore
		(304) 720- 0342

West Virginia Supreme Court Offers Training on Sensitivity
to Diversity Issues in the Juvenile Justice System

Charleston, W. Va. - Managing cultural diversity in the juvenile justice system is the focus of four one-day training sessions sponsored by the West Virginia Supreme Court this week. The training is for prosecutors, magistrates, public defenders, juvenile probation officers, law enforcement officers and state court system staff.

The Court held two one-day training sessions at the Beckley Country Inn and Suites on Monday and Tuesday and will hold two one-day training sessions at the Morgantown Ramada Inn on Thursday and Friday.

Dr. Michael Lindsey, a lawyer and clinical psychologist from Dallas, is conducting the sessions, which address juvenile delinquency, cultural differences among American youth, and conflict resolution skills.

The Supreme Court created a Task Force to Study Perceived Racial Disparity in the Juvenile Justice System in 2002, and is funding the training with part of a federal Juvenile Justice Incentive Block Grant earmarked for training on disproportionate minority confinement in the juvenile justice system.

Angie Saunders, Task Force member and Division of Criminal Justice Services Senior Juvenile Justice Specialist, described Tuesday’s session as "a phenomenal training that encouraged me to view cultural diversity issues through other eyes and a great opportunity for networking and developing strategies to address these issues."

For information about future training sessions, please contact Supreme Court Special Projects Counsel Julie Palas at (304) 558-0145 or at juliepalas@courtswv.org .

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