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2003 Samuel J. Duboff Memorial Award
The 2003 Duboff Award
was presented to two organizations whose volunteers improve the
court system for all New Yorkers: The Law, Order and Justice Society
of Schenectady County and the Family Abuse Court Services Program
of the Mental Health Association of Westchester County.
Law
Order and Justice Society of Schenectady County
The Law, Order and Justice Society (LOJ) provides dispute resolution,
case management, supportive services and advocacy to individuals
involved in the courts in Schenectady County. LOJ recently celebrated
its 30th Anniversary of promoting fairness and equality in the justice
system.
LOJ offers bail assistance
to defendants, helps offenders make financial restitution to their
victims, operates a community service program for offenders to repay
the community for their crimes, and runs a diversion program to
teach youth and first-time offenders about the consequences of criminal
behavior. LOJ’s volunteer program provides community dispute
resolution services and Family Law mediation services. Also, LOJ
volunteers teach decision-making skills to inmates to decrease recidivism.
Family
Abuse Court Service Program
The Family Abuse Court Services Volunteer Program offers critical
in-court help to victims. In Westchester County, 5,000 women are
battered and 4,500 children are physically or sexually abused each
year. Family Abuse Court Service volunteers help victims negotiate
the court system by explaining the court process, providing emotional
support and discussing a victim’s options, accompanying clients
to courts as non-witness friends, and assisting with referrals to
social and personal services a victim may need when leaving an abusive
relationship.
Volunteers in the
Family Abuse Court Services program work in the White Plains, New
Rochelle, and Yonkers Family Courts, and provide assistance to any
individual who comes to the court seeking relief from violence in
their home. Volunteers commit one day each week to serving clients
in the family courts, and receive 14 hours of initial training from
staff, lawyers, judges, and law enforcement officials.
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