Inaccurate portrayal

The article by Julia O'Malley, "Sentenced to learn," which appeared in the Nov. 7 edition of the Empire, articulated the quality education that residents of the Johnson Youth Center receive while detained for delinquent behavior. I was quite pleased to see that the educational program was portrayed as effective in the treatment of delinquent youth.

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However, I was chagrined when I came across the following statement: "... a team of the burlier staff members would rush to the class, restrain the student and take him or her to a cell," as I believe that is an inaccurate portrayal of the group of professionals who are charged with the care and safety of delinquent youth.

"Burlier" gives the reader the impression that the staff are large and rely on their physical prowess to subdue an out-of-control youth, which is not true. The reality is that all youth counselors in Alaska are trained professionals, many of whom hold a college degree and many others with years of post-secondary education. All youth counselors are trained to rely on their verbal skills as a first response to a crisis situation regardless of the youth counselor's physical stature.

Youth counselors do not run to the classroom and tackle a kid who is out of control as is the implication with the word "restrain." In most crisis situations involving an out-of-control youth, the youth counselors who respond are able to de-escalate the situation by using their verbal skills. In other words, they "talk the kid down" and escort him or her out of the area to an environment more conductive to the youth's continued de-escalation. The real work begins, with youth counselors actually taking the time to sit down with the youth and getting to the root of the problem while searching for strategic ways to exhibit more pro-social behaviors in the future.

Youth counselors are many things, but they are not thugs. Youth counselors are substance abuse counselors, anger management technicians, security personnel, officers of the court, surrogate or supplemental family to delinquent youth, mentors, family therapists, teachers, coaches, case managers and more. They do all of the things that correctional officers do and more while working with a population that is more volatile and impulsive than the majority of the adult populations in prisons. While I appreciate Ms. O'Malley's accurate portrayal of the education at the Johnson Youth Center, I thought it appropriate and just to rectify the inaccurate portrayal of the rest of the program, which runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year by qualified and professional staff who are overworked and under-appreciated. Thanks to all Johnson Youth Center staff and keep up the excellent work.

MaShelle Atherton

Juneau