Traditional methods of how juveniles are handled in the South Dakota detention and court systems are changing. The Parents 4 Parents committee in Rapid City says it aims to streamline the process of informing the public of those changes. The committee says it is important to get updated information to parents of youth that are getting into trouble with the law.
Burke Eilers is on the Parents 4 Parents committee and is also Director of the Youth & Family Services Counseling Center in Rapid City. He says in addition to assisting parents, his committee also provides information to city officials to ensure they are referring parents to appropriate juvenile services. He says his committee keeps people connected and informed.
“The idea behind it is that a lot of time parents are confronted with their youth getting into trouble and they’re barraged with all this uncertainty and not knowing what’s going to be coming around the corner. Are they going to go to the juvenile services facility? Are they going to go to teen court? Are they going to go on probation? They’re uncertain and quite scared,” says Eilers.
Eilers says the Parents 4 Parents committee helps parents navigate through the juvenile detention and court systems. He says in turn the committee also helps keep officials like mental health workers, substance abuse personnel, and law enforcement officials aware of resources that are available to parents and at-risk youth.
The Parents 4 Parents Committee is holding an informational event that features speakers from the State’s Attorney’s office, local law enforcement, and area counselors. The event is Saturday, April 27th at the General Beadle Elementary School in Rapid City. The event is open to the public.