By Dr. Ferrell Miller
JC Breakfast Optimist Club
JC Breakfast Optimist Club’s guest speaker at their April 10 meeting in Jim Clark’s Chevrolet showroom was Vaughn de Guzman. He is the Eighth Judicial District’s Intensive Supervision Officer. The Eighth Judicial District consists of Geary, Dickinson, Marion, and Morris Counties.
Vaughn has been a resident of Junction City since 1986 and is a graduate of Junction City High School. He currently works with juveniles who are first time offenders. These are young people “who make a mistake, are willing to do what they need to do (to make restitution or correct their behavior) and change their behavior, they are not prosecuted and there is no record of the offense” , he said.
Vaughn’s first case in Geary County was with a youth who stole hygiene products from a local store. When working with the youth, Vaughn realized that to change behaviors, it would take a holistic approach. He needed to try to understand the WHY or the reason for the theft. This has been a part of his strategies in working with young people. Vaughn sees his role as one who helps youth learn skills to be better people and be positive contributors to our society and less on the punitive aspects in dealing with young people.
“We use evidence-based practices in working with our clients”. These are practices that use the current research and best data to guide decisions so preferred outcomes are achieved.
Vaughn told the Optimist Club members that sometimes people from other communities talk negatively about our community – that we teach youth to lie, cheat, steal, fight and drink. Vaugh’s response to that negativity is “Yes! We teach them to lie on their back and dream their future as they would like it to be; cheat death; steal someone’s heart and fall in love; fight for those who can’t and drink from the cup of truth”.
Next week’s guest speakers will be Windy Hancock and Jasmine Metcalf, who work with the USD 475 McKinney/Vento Homeless Program.