The Auburn Residential Center, a non-secure facility for girls ages 13 to 17, is scheduled to close on Jan. 11, 2009.
The state Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has said that the state is moving juvenile offenders into community based alternatives to incarceration.
The Public Employees Federation argues that the OCFS controls the placement of children and therefore unfairly controls the success of the facility in Auburn.
With the jobless rate in Cayuga County on the rise, it's no surprise that the closing has been challenged.
Job replacement opportunities in other areas of the state are an empty offer, as many families don't have the means to uproot their families to larger cities and consolidation is rarely promising.
But the marriage of “effectiveness” and “economic viability” supersedes any argument.
The Juvenile Justice Initiative returns children to family care with intense therapy.
If successful, the new option could reduce costs as much as $180,000 per child annually. With the state's residential facilities running 40 percent below capacity, it makes sense to maintain centers in larger cities with higher crime rates.
In the long run the option is better for the state, despite the loss to the county.
Fortunately, the 25 employees were given one year notice to seek new employment. But instead of fighting a losing battle, the staff should work to evolve with new correctional trends.
Assuming at-home care would require professional visits and counseling, perhaps the state could compromise and subsidize a training program. If the employees are dedicated to the mission, why dispose of trained and enthusiastic personnel?
A rocky economy forces individuals to be enterprising. People can no longer rely on living in a first world super-power. I'm certainly not criticizing the involvement of the Public Employees Federation, but no organization can guarantee a favorable outcome for these 25 staff members.
In a contracting economy, it's survival of the fittest and fittest isn't always determined by education and experience.
It's about individual ingenuity.
The employees of the Auburn Residential Center are wise to keep out of the fray. If the Public Employees Federation is able to work out a deal, wonderful. But if I were an employee, I'd spend less time arguing the inevitable and more time looking for another position.
Estabrook's column appears Mondays and she can be reached at estabrookcarole@yahoo.com.
The Public Employees Federation argues that the OCFS controls the placement of children and therefore unfairly controls the success of the facility in Auburn.
With the jobless rate in Cayuga County on the rise, it's no surprise that the closing has been challenged.
Job replacement opportunities in other areas of the state are an empty offer, as many families don't have the means to uproot their families to larger cities and consolidation is rarely promising.
But the marriage of “effectiveness” and “economic viability” supersedes any argument.
The Juvenile Justice Initiative returns children to family care with intense therapy.
If successful, the new option could reduce costs as much as $180,000 per child annually. With the state's residential facilities running 40 percent below capacity, it makes sense to maintain centers in larger cities with higher crime rates.
In the long run the option is better for the state, despite the loss to the county.
Fortunately, the 25 employees were given one year notice to seek new employment. But instead of fighting a losing battle, the staff should work to evolve with new correctional trends.
Assuming at-home care would require professional visits and counseling, perhaps the state could compromise and subsidize a training program. If the employees are dedicated to the mission, why dispose of trained and enthusiastic personnel?
A rocky economy forces individuals to be enterprising. People can no longer rely on living in a first world super-power. I'm certainly not criticizing the involvement of the Public Employees Federation, but no organization can guarantee a favorable outcome for these 25 staff members.
In a contracting economy, it's survival of the fittest and fittest isn't always determined by education and experience.
It's about individual ingenuity.
The employees of the Auburn Residential Center are wise to keep out of the fray. If the Public Employees Federation is able to work out a deal, wonderful. But if I were an employee, I'd spend less time arguing the inevitable and more time looking for another position.
Estabrook's column appears Mondays and she can be reached at estabrookcarole@yahoo.com.
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.