Her first experience with juvenile justice was as a teenager. Since then, and for the past 30 plus years, Velvet has been turning the lives of troubled young people around and making sure that above all else, that 'care' is included in their care.
Women's History Month
Chyrl Jones: Leading and Working When No One Is Looking
Chyrl is the first woman of color to step into the leadership position at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and brings with her decades of experience creating opportunities for young people to realize their potential and determination to make positive change.
Laurie Garduque: Place Matters
Laurie has spent her life’s work pulling together juvenile justice leaders and researchers to ensure laws, policies and practices are informed by science and data and pushing for reforms that ensure all the voices are heard at the table.
Kim Godfrey Lovett: Starting Each Day With a Grateful Heart
Inspired by all the women who shared their stories with PbS in celebration of Women’s History Month, and to honor all women in juvenile justice, I share my answers to the questions we asked of them.
Joyce Burrell: Be the Change
The granddaughter, niece, cousin and a friend of many teachers, Joyce understands the difference education can make, especially in the lives of young disadvantaged people. She believes in giving every child the opportunity to learn, creating the change she wishes to see in their lives.
Marsha Levick: Demand a Seat at the Table
A staunch advocate for children’s and women’s rights, Marsha has launched legal challenges all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, where her work led to landmark decisions banning the juvenile death penalty and juvenile life without parole.
Christine Blessinger: Lessening the Challenges Through Education
Throughout the past 20 years Christine has worked for the Indiana Department of Correction in many different positions, dedicating her career to reforming the system and focusing her boundless energy on creating opportunities through education and skill development.
Gina Vincent: Strive for Progress, not Perfection
Sometimes the road you’re walking on is not the one you want to be on. Gina is helping youths across the country turn their lives around and carve out a different path.
Tracy Dompeling: Learning Through Listening
If anyone understands the importance of listening to create change, it’s Tracy Dompeling. Some of the best changes she’s made in juvenile justice have come from listening to the youths she serves and putting their needs first.
Valerie Boykin: From Funeral Parlors to the Juvenile Justice Courts
From funeral parlors to the juvenile justice courts, Valerie is a self-subscribed life-long learner, believing that every environment and encounter represents an opportunity for learning and growth.
PbS has been a partner in assisting this facility to become a dynamic work environment that is not satisfied with maintaining the status quo.