MassBudget: Unlocking Potential: The Cost and Availability of Juvenile Detention and its Alternatives in MA

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Unlocking Potential: The Cost and Availability of Juvenile Detention and its Alternatives in Massachusetts MassBudget's new KIDS COUNT report explores budget trends for juvenile detention over time. It looks at newer alternative programs for kids entering the juvenile justice system, and compares costs across the detention continuum. Juveniles are in "Detention" when they are in custody of DYS before trial or before a probation violation hearing. Many such children are charged only with misdemeanors, and there is significant evidence that for many juveniles placement outside of a jail-like facility is at least as effective from a public safety perspective -- and better for the child. The report finds that there are significantly different costs for different types of placements: Placement in a jail-like facility ("Secure Detention") is the most expensive. A community placement in foster care is less than half the cost of a secure placement. Alternatives to detention, which allow kids to receive services while at home, are even less expensive than foster care. The report also finds that the number of alternative placements is increasing but that implementation has been slow and uneven. Read the report here. A companion KIDS COUNT report from Citizens for Juvenile Justice examines how and why detention is harmful to kids, the characteristics of children detained, and what alternatives to detention are working well in Massachusetts.   National and state data on juvenile justice are available at the Kids Count Data Center. MassBudget's Children's Budget includes a section on juvenile justice.  The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

In the News: Emmons St

A majority of Town Council members consider the idea of cultural or green space at 150 Emmons St. unrealistic, and the consensus has always been to lease or sell the property for new revenue. 

Chairman Robert Vallee said on Tuesday that the council — apart from a few members — has all but decided to issue a request for proposals to develop the property, the former home of the Town Hall. 

"We want to see what's out there," Vallee said.

Read the full article here (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140326/NEWS/140327456/1994/NEWS

150 Emmons St - the building that is under discussion

If you want to add your name to the petition to have the decision to sell postponed, you can find the link here http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/03/franklin-voices-open-letter-to-franklin.html

Medway Middle School - Do You Know What Common Core Is?

Concerned about the common core standards and the move to go to PARCC to replace MCAS? This meeting is for you




The Milford Daily New has an article today on the Medway parent group that is active in this exploring this issue  http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140325/NEWS/140328000/1994/NEWS  (subscription required)

Soak it up Franklin!

Collaboration is a wonderful thing! A new website touting the benefits of water conservation for Franklin is now online.

Soak it up Franklin

This is a collaboration among the Franklin DPW and the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA).

screen shot of new website with info on rain gardens

Training on how to build a residential rain garden - May 3

The Town of Franklin and Charles River Watershed Association will hold two rain garden demonstration and training sessions for Franklin homeowners conducted by groundSwell Designs, LLC. Attendees will learn how to design, plant, and maintain rain gardens. Each training participant will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate to purchase rain garden plants.

Both trainings are free for Franklin residents. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Please register below or call Kate Sjoberg at 508-553-5500.

There is additional info on the site about the other ways Franklin is working to conserve water and reduce pollutants reaching the water supply. Tree wells, road narrowing are covered in addition to the rain gardens.

Be sure to visit "Soak it up Franklin"!  http://www.soakitupfranklinma.org/

Walking Upper Union to the solar farm

Once to the top of Mount St, I decided to walk down to the solar farm. The road was quiet. The fields lie fallow and brown.

brown and waiting for spring

The new poles lined this section of Upper Union

The sun tried its hardest to burn through the clouds

The new poles lined the solar farm

solar panels working but you'd hardly notice

I turned around here to head for home. Stay tuned for the next segment from the Saturday walk.

Solar farm photos from June 2013

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/06/mount-st-marys-solar-farm.html

from July 2013

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/07/mount-st-marys-solar-farm-update.html

from Oct 2013

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/10/solar-farm-update.html

FPAC - Opera for Kids - Sunday, April 6

Franklin Performing Arts Company’s annual Family Concert Series concludes this season with “Opera for Kids: Dr. Seuss’s Gertrude McFuzz and Green Eggs and Ham” on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. at 38 Main Street in Franklin. The performance is offered free to the community. An FPAC tradition for more than two decades, Family Concert Series events are especially geared to children in length and presentation, and provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. The performances expose audiences of all ages to music of many genres and feature talented, professional musicians in an entertaining and interactive format.

Franklin Performing Arts Company

Opera for Kids features performances of two classic Dr. Seuss stories. Set to music by Robert Kapilow, Green Eggs and Ham brings to life the beloved children’s tale with iconic character Sam-I-Am. A great companion piece to Green Eggs and Ham, Gertrude McFuzz introduces the memorable “girl-bird” who learns to like herself just as she is, with her one-feathered tail. Engaging audiences of all ages, each opera is about 20 minutes in length and in rhymed verse. The performance features two members of the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) voice faculty, Shauna Martin and Mariko Matsumura, along with three FSPA students, Madison Asgeirsson of Franklin as Gertrude McFuzz, Lily Barney of Franklin as Sam, and Sara Weissinger of Hopkinton as Lolla Lee Lou. Bryan Eyberg will accompany the vocalists.

A member of the FSPA Music Faculty since 2006, Shauna Martin received her master’s degree in Opera from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University. Her performances include a wide variety of operatic and musical theater roles in works by classical as well as contemporary composers. A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Martin is a founding member of the popular children's show Opera Night in Canada and has performed with Canada’s regional orchestras and on CBC Radio.

A native of Tokyo, Japan, Mariko Matsumura received her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with high honors from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Longy School of Music. Mariko's performance credits include Messiah, Aida, Hansel and Gretl, Der Rosenkavalier, The Magic Flute and numerous premiere performances throughout the Boston area. Mariko has been a member of the FSPA faculty since 2002.

FPAC’s 2014 Family Concert Series is sponsored by Berry Insurance and the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information, call (508) 528-8668 or visit www.fpaconline.com.

Franklin, MA: Planning Board - Agenda - Mar 24, 2014

The published agenda for the Planning Board meeting on Monday, Marc 24, 2014

Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central St

Where is 648 Old West Central St?