A Hamden Juvenile Review Board  is being organized under the auspices of New Haven Family Alliance, Inc. and Hamden Youth Service Bureau, and funded by the Town of Hamden, town officials announced in a prepared statement.

Kyisha Velazquez, New Haven Family Alliance’s JRB Program Manager explained: "The Hamden Juvenile Review Board is community-based and founded on the principles of Balanced and Restorative Justice. These principles include accountability, competency and public safety. The Hamden JRB will assist youth in developing an understanding of how his or her behavior harmed the individual (s) who was the subject of the offense and the community in which he or she lives, acknowledging that the behavior was harmful to themselves and to others both directly and indirectly. The JRB also enable the youth to take action to repair the harm, either directly (where possible) or indirectly. Finally, through this process the JRB will assist the youth in developing competencies that will enable them to effect necessary changes in their behavior to avoid re-offending in the future. Balanced and Restorative Justice recognizes that crime is a wound and that justice should be healing."

Susan Rubino, Hamden Youth Service Bureau’s Coordinator added, "The JRB will consist of two

 panels of seven members each, comprised of three Agency Representatives and four  Volunteer Community Representatives. The Agency Representatives will come from the Hamden Police Department, the Hamden Board of Education and DCF. The Volunteer Community Representatives will live or work in Hamden. These community accountability panel members are individuals vested in the successful future of our youth; therefore they participate in a resolution to the incident which does not further harm any of those affected."

The Hamden JRB has scheduled two information sessions for volunteers: the first will be on Thursday, August 11th, from 1:30 – 3:30 pm, at The Keefe Community Center, Room - Lounge, 11 Pine Street, Hamden, CT; and the second will be on Tuesday, August 16, from 3:30 – 5:30 pm, at the Hamden High School, Room C107, 2400 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT. If you are interested in learning more about the JRB and/or interested in being a Community Volunteer, please attend one of the information sessions listed above or contact Kyisha Velazquez at New Haven Family Alliance, Inc. (203-786-5970) or Susan Rubino at Hamden Youth Service Bureau (203-777-2610). Help us help our youth.