February 2016

Probation was a concept dreamed up in the mid-1800s by a Boston boot maker who saw the folly of throwing children into jail for petty crimes. If he could give them a better chance outside of jail and show them the way toward a successful adulthood, he figured, then everyone — the kids, their families, their neighborhoods, the taxpayers, the overcrowded jails — would be better off. And if it worked for children, wouldn't it work for adults too? But John Augustus' notion that...

The other day I visited a young black man from Philadelphia doing time for an armed robbery. First, let me say that there is no way I could have imagined spending time with a thug like Steve before I was led into prison ministry — and it's safe to assume most people would feel likewise. That's why I'd like to share what happened. If nothing else, maybe this story will make everyone hug their families extra close tonight and thank God for our blessings. Steve is about 5 foot 4, with...

Think about your average work week: How many of your daily tasks fit into the original job description you were hired to do? Chances are that, over time, out of an eagerness to prove yourself, you’ve taken on a number of responsibilities that fall well outside the realm of your core role. But how much of this newfound accountability is contributing to your professional advancement — and how much of it is just running you ragged ? Top performers can be a prime target for...

From Oakland and Ferguson, to Cleveland and Baltimore, cities across the country mourn young African-Americans whose tragic deaths, following contentious encounters with police, illustrate the violent exchange that can erupt between law enforcement and people of color. Because police are vital pillars of community safety, these events raise important questions about how they influence the life course of children of color. Despite public concern for how police impact black lives, few...

I have attended several funerals during my lifetime. At one, when I was still in high school, I remember watching the mother of a friend throw herself over her son’s casket, unable to contain her emotions. Those of us who were there sat and stared, stunned, but silent. Eventually, a much older lady with gray wispy hair came running down the aisle, throwing her arms around the women’s shoulders, whispering that it was OK and that she should take a break for a while. She hugged the...

We are hosting this conference in November and looking for some good keynote speakers and workshop presenters.    Details on attached flyer and at our website at www.mindyourmindconference.org All suggestions welcome!  Thanks. Sandy Moses sandy.moses@co.lane.or.us

Dr. Vincent Felitti will be visiting Juneau, Alaska from February 8 - 10, 2016 and presenting a lecture on Adverse Childhood Experiences. Sponsored by the Sealaska Heritage Institute [ LINK HERE ], Dr. Felitti's visit will help to highlight the high levels of childhood trauma among Alaska Natives. During his visit, Dr. Felitti will present information on ACE's to the Alaska House of Representatives and have a conversation with Governor Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott. The Sealaska...

The Defense Department sent a strong signal Monday that it intends to open the military to transgender troops with the release of proposed changes to Tricare. The department wants the health insurance to cover hormone treatment for gender dysphoria, the clinical term for wanting to transition to a male or female gender, according to a notice published in the Federal Register. The insurance change is likely to be scrutinized by Congress, where Republicans have been critical of the recent...

THEY learn to read at age 2, play Bach at 4, breeze through calculus at 6, and speak foreign languages fluently by 8. Their classmates shudder with envy; their parents rejoice at winning the lottery. But to paraphrase T. S. Eliot, their careers tend to end not with a bang, but with a whimper. Consider the nation’s most prestigious award for scientifically gifted high school students, the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, called the Super Bowl of science by one American president.

Access to care after diagnosis still prompts concerns for women in NJ and in other states he national recommendation to screen pregnant women and new mothers for signs of postpartum depression will help protect millions of American families, experts agree, since as many as 20 percent of new mothers suffer from the debilitating condition. And if history is any guide, the screening process New Jersey developed nearly a decade ago could continue to serve as a roadmap for communities...

The Handbook of Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice Edited by Marvin D. Krohn and Jodi Lane John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2015 620 pages The title and cover of this book immediately sparked my interest, since I had practiced law in the juvenile justice court systems across Georgia as a defense attorney and state prosecutor for almost 20 years. I have become somewhat of an expert in the practice of juvenile law, having worked in a juvenile system that saw numerous overhauls in the...

The man France proclaimed “Best Chef” just committed suicide. He had just been informed that he still had his third Michelin star, the pinnacle of achievement among chefs. You can’t achieve any more than Chef Benoît Violier has in a life spent cooking. And according to one of the people interviewed for the story, Chef Violier gave every appearance of happiness and being self assured. And why wouldn’t he be. His restaurant apparently had no financial troubles...