Issue 2, 2018
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Issue 2, 2018 newsletter of the administrative office of pa courts Engaging families to combat truancy Pennsylvania schools and magisterial district courts focus on improving school attendance. 1 1 Magisterial district courts: Engaging families to combat truancy Research shows that roughly nine • The restriction of truancy 60-90 days, and if there are no further percent of Pennsylvania students are disciplinary actions that result problems, I’ll dismiss the case,” he said. habitually truant with many of these in excluding students from the truancy cases beginning in elementary regular classroom and middle school, according to the “We’re not just judges. Pennsylvania Department of Education. • Considerable discretion for magisterial district judges to In some of these cases, Following passage of a new truancy impose appropriate penalties in we’re social workers . law in 2016, Pennsylvania schools and individual cases. magisterial district courts continue to and counselors to these focus on improving school attendance Both Judge Corbett and Magisterial students.” using approaches that best help truant District Judge David H. Judy, from – Judge David Judy students by engaging their families Dauphin County, were involved in to support attendance and preserve discussions concerning the 2016 family unity. truancy law during their time as He said that more often than not in members of the Pennsylvania State truancy cases, there are deeper family Roundtable’s Educational Success and problems that explain the root of the “With the new truancy Truancy Workgroup launched in 2009. student’s attendance issues, and his goal is to help solve those problems law, truancy cases The group was tasked with identifying rather than just fine the student or the systemic issues in Pennsylvania have become more parent. manageable and we relating to truancy and outlining an approach for how to combat these “We’re not just judges. In some of have seen a reduction in issues – part of which was the these cases, we’re social workers . the number of truancy development of the new truancy law. and counselors to these students,” said Judge Judy. referrals to magisterial Judge Corbett said, “With the new district courts.” truancy law, truancy cases have Judge Corbett agreed that the majority – Judge Joanne Corbett become more manageable and we of truancy cases are the result of an have seen a reduction in the number of issue at home. She explained that a truancy referrals to magisterial district courts.” Magisterial District Judge Joanne P. Corbett, from Lackawanna County, said Pennsylvania schools are that often times attendance problems now mandated to hold school are adopted by younger siblings, and attendance improvement to prevent family truancy patterns, conferences with the student early intervention and discovering the and their family before any court root cause of truant behavior is critical. referral, but Judge Judy explained that truancy cases will go to The 2016 truancy law requires schools magisterial district courts when and courts to use approaches that the student/parent(s) are absent or identify and address attendance issues uncooperative. as early as possible using credible interventions. Among some of the When explaining how he handles law’s most significant changes to how those truancy cases brought truancy cases are handled include: before him, Judge Judy said, “I try to stress the importance of • The creation of procedures education and getting a high (including mandatory family school diploma and hopefully give notifications and school the student and parents a wake-up attendance improvement call. conferences) that schools must follow when handling both truant “If I’m getting cooperation, I’ll put the and habitually truant students with case on hold and review it again in court referral as the last resort 2 student’s attendance problems (CYS) school liaisons in Lackawanna Editors usually have a specific cause County who greatly assist the Stacey Witalec whether it’s a lack of reliable schools and courts in handling Kim Bathgate transportation, a need to work, an truancy cases early and effectively. inability to afford school uniforms or Writer a responsibility to care for younger The goal of any truancy case is to Casey Scheffler siblings. deter further attendance issues, address the root cause of the Contributors She went on to express appreciation problem and ultimately help the Patti Campbell for the Children and Youth Services student get on the right track. Rhonda Hocker Stephen Baldwin Graphic Design Gretchen Smith Interpreter Certification Photography Program continually engaged Justin Scott Court Administrator of PA in recruitment and outreach Tom Darr By Osvaldo R. Avilés, Assistant Court Administrator of PA Andrea B. Tuominen, Esq. Interpreter Certification Program administrator All content is collected, written Since its inception, AOPC’s worked closely with organizations and edited by the AOPC Interpreter Certification Program including: Communications Office (ICP) has continually strived to recruit unless noted. qualified candidates in all languages • The Pennsylvania Immigrant You may reach the office by calling: (717) 231-3300 for the interpreter roster to help the Citizenship Coalition • The Mayor’s Commission of Afro- or by emailing: judiciary provide access to court [email protected] services for all Pennsylvanians. Caribbean Affairs • Professional interpreter For more information about As the linguistic diversity in the organizations. Pennsylvania’s courts, visit the UJS Commonwealth continues to grow, website at: www.pacourts.us The program also regularly presents the program has focused interpreter Twitter feed for general court recruitment efforts on languages at different organizations throughout information is: @PACourts other than Spanish (LOTS). Pennsylvania to promote the use of qualified interpreters, explain the role Supreme Court of Pennsylvania The current interpreter roster of interpreters in legal settings and consists of over 200 interpreters educate the professional community Thomas G. Saylor representing 34 languages. The about the requirements of the Court Chief Justice of Pennsylvania majority of them are American Sign Interpreters and Administrative Language and Spanish interpreters, Proceedings Act (Act 172). Many of Max Baer which are the two languages of these presentations are now aimed Justice highest demand in the court system. at familiarizing not only interpreters, However, as the demand for LOTS but also judges, administrators, Debra Todd Justice languages continues to grow, the legal community and other recruiting candidates that have the stakeholders with Act 172 and its Christine Donohue necessary language and interpreting regulations. Justice skills to become qualified in languages such as Arabic, Korean, Interested parties can learn more Kevin M. Dougherty Nepali, Swahili and Vietnamese is about the ICP and how to qualify Justice imperative. as an interpreter on the judiciary’s website. David N. Wecht In an attempt to attract qualified Justice interpreters with the necessary {Osvaldo R. Avilés is the combination of skills, the ICP has Interpreter Certification Sallie Updyke Mundy done community outreach and Program administrator.} Justice more INFORMATION https://www.pacourts.us/ judicial-administration/court- programs/interpreter-program 3 4 Looking up court data just became easier Data dashboards are used to identify court trends and are heavily relied upon by judges and court staff to manage court operations. In addition to being a valuable resource for court management, the dashboards also help to assure court data is easily accessible and transparent. The AOPC recently redesigned the dashboard homepage and created six new data dashboards. The new dashboards come as the latest in a series of interactive, digital data visuals that simplify how users look up court data. They allow court staff, researchers, reporters and the public to quickly sift through caseload data and analyze and interpret court statistics at a glance. A wide range of caseload data is accessible through the dashboards including civil, criminal, magisterial district court, orphans’ court, custody and divorce, child dependency, paternity and support, juvenile delinquency, problem- solving courts and protection from abuse statistics. Data are used by the judiciary in policy development, program evaluation and workload analysis – and also by organizations outside the judiciary including the Legislature and other county, state and federal agencies. The AOPC publishes caseload statistics annually and this data is available both statewide and at the county level on the judiciary’s website at www.pacourts.us under the “Research and Statistics” page. more INFORMATION http://www.pacourts.us/news-and-statistics/ research-and-statistics/dashboard-table-of- contents 5 35% Jurists 33% AOPC sta 18% Judicial district 14% employees a mix of others including appellate court sta Your view – One thing is clear – while feedback reader survey was mostly positive – we are always open to your ideas and comments. Have a story idea? Interested results in being a guest columnist? Share with us at [email protected]. Do you read AOPConnected? What are your favorite stories? Would you like an electronic or printed Here are some of the other comments: version? What improvements can we make? “I feel it is too long and would be better These are just a few of the28% questions we asked in a recent newsletter