Archive for the 'Programs' Category
With schools starting back up this week, Executive Director Jane Farmer suggested I pass along these tips:
“As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. When parents and families are involved in their children’s schools, the children do better and have better feelings about going to school. In fact, many studies show that what the family does is more important to a child’s school success than how much money the family makes or how much education the parents have. There are many ways that parents can support their children’s learning at home and throughout the school year. Here are some ideas to get you started!
Develop a partnership with your child’s teachers and school staff
Support your child academically
Get involved with your child’s school
Get informed and be an advocate for your child
Support your child’s learning at home
You can read the 20 ways to do all that here.
August 24 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
You can read the whole story in the NW Herald:
Cheryl, a Crystal Lake mother, told board members about the plight of her son. She recounted the abuse he suffered, his drug use, and mental health problems. The Northwest Herald does not identify the victims of sexual abuse.
“My son is in jail now and will be for a long time. This is the most devastating thing that has ever happened to my family,” she said. “I am really hoping that we can, as a community, try to address the needs of our youth who are involved in the criminal system and the needs of our families who experience the loss of a loved one to the system.”
She was not alone. Scott Bloc, the special courts coordinator for McHenry County, requested continued funding for addiction treatment as the county moves forward with the creation of a drug court program.
“We ask you, the Mental Health Board, to include substance abuse treatment services as a priority in your upcoming three-year plan,” he said.
May 18 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
An eye-opening (if grim) story on Family Court and a rash of recent muders of children by their fathers: “In the nine months between June 2009 and April 2010, 75 children have been killed by fathers involved in volatile custody battles with their former partners….
Lawyers, judges, psychologists and representatives of women’s groups interviewed by The Crime Report describe a broken family court system that is already burdened with a heavy caseload and too few judges—many of whom are forced to rotate between cases—and in which serious criminal allegations of domestic or sexual abuse are routinely ignored. The crushing financial costs of pursuing long custody battles is an additional burden on indigent mothers, who get little or no legal support. The odds are particularly stacked against children at risk when the court battle revolves over “he said, she said” arguments.
The system has particularly failed parents?usually mothers?whose efforts to protect their children collide with an approach to custody issues that is based on narrow legal concepts of balance and fair treatment rather than psychological or medical evidence. “Courts assume mothers are orchestrating misinformation, instead of trying to protect their children,” said Kathleen Russell, director of the Center for Judicial Excellence.”
You can read it all here.
May 06 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
HJRCA 19, the Constitutional Amendment to expand and enforce crime victim rights passed out of the House Criminal Judiciary II committee unanimously! It is now on the floor of the House. The full House will vote on the bill by Thursday, March 25th.
HJRCA 19
Sponsors: Representatives Lang (D-16), Ramey (R-55), Reboletti (R-46), McAuliffe (R-20),
Coulson (R-17), Jakobsson (D-103), Dugan (D-79), Boland (D-71), Sacia (R-89),
Wait (R-69), Golar (D-6)
Status: House – Second Reading
This Resolution Makes Crime Victims’ Rights a Reality
This resolution will amend the Illinois Constitution to create an enforcement mechanism for the rights that crime victims have had under Illinois law for over 25 years. The amendment also strengthens existing crime victim rights in the Illinois Constitution.
Crime Victims Need Enforceable Rights
Crime victims are central to the criminal justice process. These are the people who have been battered, raped, abused and whose family members have been murdered. Often, however, victims are ignored or even excluded throughout the criminal justice process. Victims in Illinois need comprehensive, meaningful and enforceable rights.
Current Crime Victims’ Rights Are Not Enforced
Despite the fact that the Illinois Constitution and Illinois statutes guarantee crime victims certain rights, these rights are often not enforced. For example:
- Victims are guaranteed the right to be informed of court proceedings. Some victims never learn about hearings and others unnecessarily miss school or work only to learn that the hearing was postponed.
- Victims are guaranteed the right to be present at trials and hearings regarding their case. Some victims are placed on witness lists, thus excluding them from the court proceedings about the rape or act of violence that happened to them.
· Victims are guaranteed the right to present a written statement to the court about the impact a violent crime has had on them. Some victims have been denied the right to present a statement.
How Victims Will Enforce Their Rights
This resolution gives crime victims the right to go to court and ask that the right they were denied be enforced. The resolution also requires the court to act promptly on such a request. For example, if a hearing happened without the victim being notified, the court could notify the victim and order that the hearing be held again.
The Federal Government and Other States Have Statutory and Constitutional Enforcement Provisions
Other states, including California, Arizona and Oregon recently have passed similar constitutional amendments making victims’ rights enforceable. Many states already have enforcement language in their victims’ rights statutes. Illinois is behind nationally on this key movement to make crime victims’ rights enforceable. In 2004, the federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act was adopted, providing victims of federal crimes extensive rights and means of redress if those rights are violated.
Contact your Representatives and tell them you support this bill!
Mike Tryon 1 N. Virginia St. Crystal Lake, IL 60014 (815) 459-6453
Jack Franks 180 South Eastwood Drive Woodstock, IL 60098 (815) 334-0063
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March 16 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
On the day before Valentine’s Day, a 52-year-old Cary man followed a woman home from work, cut her car off and blocked her car with his, the woman claimed in court records.
Three days later, he sent her at least 10 text messages asking her to come over and talk with him, she said. She did not respond, but he appeared at her friend’s home looking for her. The friend called police, and he left, she said.
But the woman, who is in her 40s, requested – and received – a temporary stalking no-contact order.
“His behavior and harassment and stalking is now making me concerned for my and my family’s safety,” she wrote in her request. “He is obsessed with me.”
The court paperwork does not indicate how the two know each other, if at all. But that’s the point of the law that created this new protective order Jan. 1.
The stalking no-contact order protects people who were followed, monitored, threatened or otherwise stalked at least twice by another person. Other no-contact orders previously protected only current or former family and household members, significant others or victims of sexual abuse.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office has processed about six such orders in the past two months, and state police noted about 20 in effect statewide, officials said.
You can read more at the NW Herald.
February 23 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
This story in today’s Tribune caught my eye:
A 22-year-old Hoffman Estates man was sentenced Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court to 30 months probation and 240 hours of community service for fatally beating two cats belonging to the mother of his girlfriend.
Raymond Bagaybagayan, of the 500 block of Mojave Street, pleaded guilty in Rolling Meadows branch court to animal torture. Judge Kay Hanlon also ordered Bagaybagayan to pay $1,750 in veterinary bills and not to have any contact with companion animals.
Prosecutors said two of the cats had to be euthanized after Bagaybagayan beat them in September. Another suffered injuries after he sprayed a lime dissolving liquid in its face, prosecutors said.
Horrifying, but far too common. The fact is, nothing is “off limits” for an abuser intent on controlling and terrorizing his victims: The more you or your children are attached to a pet, the more that pet can be seen by an abuser as a means to control you. Pets are also often seen as being in competition with an abusive partner for your attention.
“Even if a spouse has never been violent towards YOU, it’s vital that you take even the threat of violence against a pet seriously - not only for the pet’s safety, but for your own as well. Tons of research has been done on the issue of animal abuse and the relation to child abuse and spouse battering and the facts are in: threats or actions against your pet are a very strong indicator that violence is on the way for you or your children.
Of 50 shelters surveyed about women and children escaping from domestic violence, 85% said that women in their shelter talked about pet abuse, 63% of children talked about pet abuse, and 83% said that they had observed the coexistence of domestic violence and pet abuse. ” That information is from Aardvarc.org An Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence Aid and Resource Collection. Their Website is here. The important thing is to realize violence to animals WILL lead to violence to people. Get help immediately if you loved one is threatening or harming animals!
February 19 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
Turning Point’s Partner Abuse Intervention Program is pleased to announce a new group…
The Latino Parenting Group
The purpose of the Latino Parenting Group is to assist parents who have perpetrated domestic violence against their partners or children to understand the effects of the domestic violence on their children and to learn non-violent parenting skills and techniques.
This program will be offered in Spanish.
Group details:
12 weeks, 1-1/2 hours long, once/week.
Groups will be held on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00PM; childcare for children ages 0-6 will be provided. Group start date to be determined.
Specific topics will include family dynamics, impact of domestic violence on children, child development, parenting techniques, and communication skills.
Evaluation required: fees for evaluation range from $50 to $150
DCFS-referred and voluntary referrals accepted
Group fees: $15/group for 1 parent, $25/group for both parents
Please contact Maura Cruz, Latino PAIP Facilitator, at 815-338-8081 ext. 233 to schedule an evaluation.
January 22 2010 | Programs | No Comments »
For the second year in a row, Turning Point, McHenry County’s only full-service domestic violence agency and shelter has received a $5000 grant from the TJX Foundation to fund emergency shelter needs for victims of domestic violence. The purpose of The TJX Foundation’s Giving Program is to support qualified, tax-exempt nonprofit organizations that provide services which promote and improve the quality of life for children, women and families in need. TJX Companies include Marshall’s, T. J. Maxx. HomeGoods and A.J. Wright.
The grant was initially requested by Annette Schmidt as a response to Star 105.5’s Take a Stand for Turning Point fundraiser in 2008. Pictured is Schmidt, store manager of the Crystal Lake Marshalls, (left) presenting the check to Turning Point’s Executive Director Jane Farmer.
January 19 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
A great article in today’s’ NW Herald marking three years of the Turning Point Shelter:
“Domestic violence is a very lethal crime. People die from domestic violence,” Executive Director Jane Farmer said. “It’s important to have a place where people can get all the information they need to make a decision that’s good for them and their family.”
The shelter, which can accommodate 21 women and children at a time, allows clients fleeing domestic abuse to stay up to 90 days. It is equipped with a security system with a direct link to the Woodstock Police Department.”
You can read the whole story at the Northwest Herald.
January 14 2010 | In the news and Programs | No Comments »
Turning Point will offer Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence-approved training beginning February 22. The training will be held at McHenry County College. This 40-Hour Training is required of all Direct Service volunteers (Direct contact with Domestic Violence victims through counseling) in the state of Illinois. The training is also valuable in many professional capacities including, licensed social worker, teachers, and attorneys. It helps to better explain the dynamics of abuse, understand the effects on the victims and the children who witness it, and understand how to best react and empower a victim of violence. In addition, participants in the training can become a direct service volunteer and help Turning Point by becoming an advocate, serve as a crisis call operator, group co-facilitator, volunteer caseworker, or shelter volunteer. In addition, training attendees can earn up to 40 continuing credit hours for their professional psychology or social work licenses. Registration is required, as well as an $85 administrative fee for Turning Point volunteers, and $340 for community members not planning to volunteer.
Turning Point has offered Domestic Violence victim services for the past 28 years, including individual and group counseling, emergency shelter and legal and non-legal advocacy. Volunteers are needed in several of the agencies programs, including answering crisis calls and co-facilitating groups.
For further information about ICADV training please call Jennifer Kenning at (815) 338 8081.
January 05 2010 | Events and Programs | No Comments »
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