Adult or juvenile detention turning assistance

[fstepanski]

Met with a Mr. Matt Barinholtz, a very energetically charged man with an incredible mission. Establish a woodturning program at a juvenile detention facility outside of Washington, DC.

Several of our club members met with Matt offering suggestions on Programs, projects, tools, shop setup etc.

Has anyone within this community worked in, have experience with or know of anyone who has worked in this arena?

Would appreciate any information or possible web sites to research.

Thanks in advance. Happy turnin'

Frank

 

[C Edward Moore]

Sheriff's Turnaround Program, aka STP

Hi Frank,
The Smith Mountain Lake Woodturners are establishing a program for Trustees of the Franklin County Jail with the cooperation and encouragement of the Sheriff's Department. We plan to start with 4 Students and meet either once a week or every two weeks. So far we have about a dozen Mentors who have offered to help. It has occurred to me that for insurance purposes each mentor should be a member of AAW.

We haven't gotten as specific as we will need to do soon. The projects will need to be simple and build upon previous projects. Our effort is to give them a useful hobby, not make professional turners out of them.

After each session we plan to sit down and enter comments in a log so that we can be accountable to the Sheriff's Department should the need arise.

The selection of the Students promises to be an interesting exercise.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Video everything, and keep the instructor/student ratio high. Remember, there really is such a thing as a bad boy, so don't waste your time and the time of someone who might benefit from the recreation, and the more important time spent in the care and tutelage of an adult of the same gender.

Fatherless boys generally haven't had an example of a male who cared learned, or taught, so it's a great idea, but keep those cameras rolling and those wands sweeping as they depart. Keep the tool choice limited, the clutter low, and consider the silhouette type tool racks for quick inventory.

 

[waltben]

Hi Frank -

Don't know if you're talking about Maryland or Virginia, state or local. With over fifteen years as a Kairos volunteer with the Virginia DOC, I think you'd be smart to first find out what the warden and security people at the specific institution will allow you to do. My experience here has been that the head of security in any institution can nix something that even the warden has approved. Also, that the state only has guidelines and each institution implements them in the manner they deem best for their population. Not chaos, but it can be very confusing from one place to another. We only work in maximum security institutions, and couldn't do anything like a woodturing program no matter what. There are lesser levels though and county/city jails are also different. I don't know what Maryland is like, so I can't give you any hints on it.

Walt

 

[hockenbery]

Frank,
Good luck.

My one experience with the youth detention center near Fort Meade was not pleasant.
A mens softball team that I was on played an all start team from the detention center. The detention center was the home team.

The kids were all vicious with their taunts even with the constant threats from the guards. When our first baseman pulled a hamstring and limped off the field they cheered and hooted. This wasn't the supportive cheer given to an injured player who is able to walk off. It was the only time in sports that I have ever seen such anything other than respect shown to an injured player.

Oh we won big!

Hope to see you in Richmond.
-Al

 

[Bill Grumbine]

Frank, I can't say that I have worked in this specific setting, but I have been close. I was a resident advisor right out of college at a "home for wayward boys", kids that weren't quite ready for the detention center, but were one step away. I had a brief stint as a job developer for prisoners about to get out. I then taught the 10 week pilot program for the Woodturning Center's community outreach program in downtown Philly. This took place at a deep inner city school surrounded by razor wire.

There are lots of things that can be done, or at least tried, with young men who have grown up without the benefit of a strong father committed to good values. Putting sharp tools into their hands is not one of them. These are kids who can change from calm and rational to murderous in the blink of an eye over some perceived slight. For many of them that attitude has been ingrained in them from the time they were born. It is the culture in which they were raised. If this guy persists in this plan and actually gets it approved, I would not step into a situation like that without one on one supervision, and complete separation between the inmates. This would be a perfect setting for someone intent on evening a score. In fact, I would not step into a situation like this at all. I think there are better ways to teach these boys something practical, constructive, and responsible, long before they get turning tools into their hands.

Oh yeah, one more story. I started to teach the three boys of a friend of ours to turn several years ago. They came from a "good" home, well disciplined, and knew me well. I told them in no uncertain terms that there was to be no fooling around while I was teaching the one on the lathe. In less than five minutes, the lesson came to a halt when I had to break up the two not on the lathe for sword fighting with my gouges.

I think it can be done, and I have done it, but there needs to be a demonstration of responsibility and trust to accomplish anything worth the time and effort.

Edit in: I don't know if you meant arena instead of area, but arena is certainly a good choice.

Bill

 

[Ron Sardo]

25 years ago, I taught printing to troubled inner city kids. Many of them where given an option... jail, juvie, military service or Job Corps. I was the instructor at a Job Corps.

I worked there for 4 years and it was by far one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in my lifetime. My class size was anywhere from 5 to 12 students, ages 16 to 21 and I was the only instructor in the class. Yes, there where some real bad apples, but that didn't make them bad students.

While I can't help you setup a turning program, I can tell you it is a project worth pursuing.

 

[dkulze]

I worked for a year in a wilderness residential program for serious juvi offenders with heavy drug/alcohol addictions. Needless to say, in a wilderness setting these kids have access to everything from rocks and sticks to fire pokers, axes, and even chainsaws. We never had a single assault on a staff in the history of the program.

That being said, the kids started out in a fully locked down holding tank with nothing but socks, undies, and a hospital jonnie. Plenty o assaults and restraints there. They slowly worked up to earning clothing, personal items, the ability to go to the loo by themselves, and eventually visits to the cabins. By the time they got to us, most of the dangerous ones were weeded out and alot of heavy behavioral mod had been done.

So.... the program you describe sounds great but needs to happen with kids that are already known to be "safe", and under high levels of containment and supervision. This rules out most juvi lockup programs and leaves you with only the relatively low security ones. And then you make it an earned privlege for kids who are doing well.

I'm with Bill on trying to do this as a wider program at any lockup that includes violent offenders. Not a real safe plan.

Dietrich

 

[C Edward Moore]

Trustees and Sheriff's Turnaround Program (STP)

I have not met Matt Barinholtz, although Frank Stepanski is a friend of mine. I see the two programs as similar, yet very different. Each is intended to help some fellows who have gotten into trouble.

The idea for the SMLW program began at an Antique Farm Days festival in Franklin County, Virginia. Some young men wearing flourescent orange pinnies were going around and helping wherever they were asked to help. They were fascinated with the woodturning demo our club set up and there was some good interaction between these Trustees and the club members. These young men had earned the opportunity to be out helping in an unsupervised situation. In other words, there has been some significant screening before they are deemed eligible to be out and about.

There is an election for Sheriff in Franklin County in November. A candidate who is currently in the department seems to be favored. His name is Bill and he is a good friend of mine. Bill, the president of SMLW, and I, met and discussed all aspects and we are all singing from the same page of the hymnal. We agreed that we would start with four Students and see how it goes. It was also agreed that those with violent tendencies would not be considered for STP. It may be prudent to avoid situations where there is personal animosity between two of the Students. I showed Bill a 1/4" round skew that the Students will make and learn to use. He understands that it is effectively a shiv. Each Student will have a plastic bin in which his tools and projects will be stored. Obviously, we must make sure that his skew remains in the bin when he leaves.

Frankly, I am not concerned about physical safety. I expect at least five and maybe six Mentors to be present with the four Students. We are allowed to bring cookies and sodas to the sessions and we will. I doubt that a Student would want to jeopardize a good situation and lose his privileges. Realize also that residents of the County Jail have sentences of one year or less.

I am optimistic that our STP program can work - because we are offering it to a select group, not the general population of the County Jail.

 

[dkulze]

Actually, Ed, what you're describing sounds like about as optimum a situation as you could get. If these folks are already at a place (internally and externally) where they can be out in the community on work crews, then they're ready to engage in a program like yours. Sounds like you may have a workable project on you hands.

Good luck and have fun,
Dietrich

 

[C Edward Moore]

Stp

Hi Dietrich,

I agree with your analysis that our situation is optimal for what we are trying to do. Plus, the man I referred to, Bill, is one of the finest people I know. And Bill has a heart for troubled youth. I personally expect experienced law enforcement officers to become a little hard-nosed and jaded. Bill is an exception to that general rule.

We have enough volunteers so that no one needs to be at every session. We are almost all retirees, no surprise there, and there are a lot of travel interests in the group. My biggest concern when I started thinking this through was burnout. A lot of the initial planning falls to me due to my education background and the fact that I run a Skills Enhancement program for the club. I hope to get things going and be able to step aside at some point or at least share the load.

 

[fstepanski]

All,

Thanks for all the comments ideas and concepts.. I want to do whatever possible to kick this effort for Matt as I believe he has some challenges to overcome. I also see the reward in his success at implementing a program..

Ed – “friend” I’m honored… I also see your point in that the two efforts have similarities and differences. I’m hoping you and he are able to benefit from both.

Will post information as Matt’s program progresses…