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1. Frankly Speaking
Blow the Whistle ... or Do Something
In two massive violations of public trust, attention focuses on the key bad men. On Wall Street, Bernard Madoff goes to jail for a decades-long fraud on thousands of investors. In Luzerne County, Pa, two judges took millions to sell out juvenile offenders and other litigants in their courts. I want to know about their supply chain: Where were the lawyers, probation officers and court staff in Luzerne? Where were the traders, office administrators and accountants on Wall Street? I keep coming back to the observation often credited to the 18th century statesman Edmund Burke that “it is enough for the forces of evil in the world to prevail, for a few good men to do nothing.” Is it naïve to expect people whose livelihoods depend on a felony, or on the felon, to blow the whistle on the crime? Is it pious to think that someone should have done the right thing? Picture an imagined scene in Luzerne. A small-town lawyer who depends on the recognition of the court to receive appointments to represent indigent parties, sees one after another young person sent into state custody for minor violations and without representation by counsel. He suspects some connection between the judge and the custodial institution. Who does he tell? Another judge? He can’t be sure whether other judges are on the take. Court administration? No more court appointments, no more income, and ironically, even a sullied reputation in the community, a kind of professional suicide. Up to the moment they are embraced as heroes, whistleblowers are often viewed as shrill, marginalized complainers. Ethical choices sound lofty, but they are rather common. Pay taxes on cash income? Voice objection to questionable conduct? Decline an offer of help that has a price tag? What have we learned about public trust and the duty we owe to each other? featured eventsAnnual Benefit Reception & Silent Auction The Crystal Tea Room, The Wanamaker Building 100 Penn Square East Wednesday, April 22, 2009 5-6 Award Ceremony 5-8 Silent Auction 6-8 Reception Please join us in championing child advocacy! Our Annual Benefit Reception and Silent Auction supports direct services for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia. Join us on Wednesday, April 22nd to champion our work and honor leading child advocates. This year we will pay special tribute to Jim Murray, Co-Founder of the Ronald McDonald House and former General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, with the Judge Lois G. Forer Child Advocacy Award. We will also recognize seven Distinguished Advocates for their service to children, as well as present a Special Recognition Award to Film Director Lee Daniels for raising awareness of child abuse through his two poignant films, Precious (based on the novel Push by Sapphire) & The Woodsman. For More Information & To Register Online: https://advokid.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2009AnnualBenefitReception/tabid/124723/Default.aspx
30th Annual 5K Run/Walk Sunday, May 17, 2009 8:30am, Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Join us on Sunday, May 17th as we celebrate the Philadelphia Bar Association’s 30th Annual 5K Run/Walk! More than 1,000 runners and walkers will raise funds for the Support Center for Child Advocates. A Kids’ Dash will be offered for the first time! To register, visit: www.active.com. Are you also running in the 30th Anniversary Blue Cross Broad Street Run? Participate in each run and receive a commemorative gift. For more information visit: www.charityrun2009.com or www.broadstreetrun.com.
How Are We Doing?
In FY08, Child Advocates served 762 clients and closed 199 cases. Through the hard work of our Child Advocate Teams, we were able to reduce the dependency of closed cases to just two years. Ten years ago, our cases were open an average of three years. Reducing the time our children spend in foster care and other placements is a high priority for Child Advocates, and the hard work is paying off! featured client Malik
Ultimately, Malik was placed with experienced foster parents who set consistent boundaries, and after a few rough months, he adjusted well in this home. Volunteer Attorney Veronica Rice from Dechert LLP and Child Advocate Staff Attorney Christine Trinkl Dougherty pursued adoption and battled bureaucratic delays until the adoption’s finalization hearing in October 2006. Malik’s progress continues in the loving and nurturing environment that his new parents and adoptive siblings provide. + Read more Client Stories + Learn more Joyce Krajian is temporarily filling in for staff social worker Megan Walley. Joyce comes to Child Advocates with a long career of working with children and youth. For the past 11 years, she served as Founder and Executive Director of the Bridges Program, a 12-month internship and training initiative that prepares Philadelphia public high school students for entry-level post-graduation employment in law firms, health care systems, and other organizations. Joyce previously served as Director of the Corporate Career Opportunity Program, a school-to-work program for Philadelphia high school youths. She has a Masters of Divinity with a major in education from Princeton Theological Seminary and a B.A. from Lycoming College. Joyce is pleased to join Child Advocates staff of talented and impassioned professionals to help change the story for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia County.
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Already struggling to care for his infant sibling, Malik’s mother voluntarily placed Malik in foster care because of his behavioral issues. Malik’s father was incarcerated at the time. Though originally placed in a therapeutic foster home, Malik was institutionalized because he was involved in physical altercations with other children and tried to run away. He struggled in three subsequent foster homes because of inconsistent services and his mother’s resistance to psychiatric services. 