Attorney General's National Task Force to Hold Hearing on Children's Exposure to Violence in the Community

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence, a key part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Defending Childhood initiative, will gather testimony from national experts and Miami residents on the impact of community violence on children in urban and immigrant neighborhoods. 

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer, Southern District of Florida, and task force co-chairs Joe Torre and Robert Listenbee, Jr. will deliver opening remarks on Tuesday, March 20.  Bryan Samuels, Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services then will provide testimony on the child welfare system and children's exposure to violence. On Wednesday, March 21, Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, will lead a roundtable discussion of children's exposure to violence.

WHERE: University of Miami Newman Alumni Center
Multi-Purpose Room
6200 San Amaro Drive
Coral Gables, Fla.
OPEN PRESS

MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2012

5:00-7:00 p.m. EDT  Public Testimony
The task force will hear from professionals and community members.

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012

8:30 a.m. EDT  Opening Remarks
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida
Joe Torre, co-chair, Founder of the Joe Torre Safe At Home® Foundation and a witness to domestic violence as a child                       Robert Listenbee, Jr., co-chair, Chief of the Juvenile Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia
Marilyn Roberts, Deputy Administrator for Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Bernard P. Perlmutter, Director of Children & Youth Law Clinic, University of Miami School of Law
The Honorable Cindy S. Lederman, Presiding Judge, Juvenile Court of Miami-Dade County

9:00 a.m. EDT  The Child Welfare System and Children's Exposure to Violence
Bryan Samuels, Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

9:30 a.m. EDT  Interrupting the Cycle of Violence: Local Leaders' Panel
The Honorable Dwight Jones, Mayor of Richmond, Va.
The Honorable Mark Luttrell, Jr., Mayor of Shelby County, Tenn.

Witnesses will describe the creative solutions they are implementing to address high rates of violence and to improve economic and social conditions in their communities.                 

10:45 a.m. EDT  Children's Experiences of Violence in Highly Impacted Communities
Roy Martin, Senior Youth Development Specialist, Youth Development Network, Boston Public Health Commission
Maj. Eddie Levins, Executive Sponsor, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, N.C.
Sarah Greene, Program Administrator, Criminal Justice Partnerships, Mecklenburg County, N.C.
Dawn L. Brown, Executive Director, Girls and Gangs

Witnesses will discuss the physical and psychological impact on children living in communities with high levels of violence and factors that have a strong influence on the various outcomes these children experience.

1:00 p.m. EDT  Immigrant and At-Risk Youth Exposed to Violence: Creating Successful Responses
Laura Kallus, Executive Director, PanZOu Project, Inc.
Carolyn Reyes, Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Services for Children
Lyn Tan, Program Director, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization
Dr. Michael de Arellano, Professor and Licensed Clinical Psychologist, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina

Witnesses will provide information on the challenges the children of immigrants face in their schools, communities and families and will discuss promising practices to address these challenges.

2:30 p.m. EDT  Working Meeting
5:15 p.m. EDT  Closing Remarks

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

8:45 a.m.-noon EDT   Interactive Discussion on Children Exposed to Violence
Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Director, Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Facilitator
The Honorable Michael J. Ryan, Judge, Cleveland Municipal Court
Vicki Spriggs, Chief Executive Officer, Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates

Witnesses will debate and discuss the complex ethical, emotional, legal and public policy questions raised by children's exposure to violence, as highlighted in a hypothetical story. 

1:15 p.m.  Working Meeting
3:00 p.m.  Closing Remarks

SOURCE Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs

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