New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey was joined by Howard L. Beyer, Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission; Dr. M. William Howard, Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church; C. Vernon Mason, Executive Director of Uth Turn, staff, volunteers and youth from the Essex Residential Community Home (Essex RCH) Collaboration to launch “Uth Turn,” a youth Initiative in New Jersey. The press conference was held at Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, the site of the “Uth Turn” Program.

Attorney General Peter C. Harvey said, “Uth Turn is an important initiative for the positive development of youth in New Jersey's Juvenile Justice system. The statistics for youth in need of guidance and mentorship in urban communities is staggering. Young people need guidance, direction, mentorship and a roadmap for social development. What we have done with Uth Turn is taken a program that combines a strong foundation and track record of changing the lives of participants in New York's Uth Turn Program, modified it and brought it to New Jersey to serve youth here.”

Uth Turn is a unique program being offered for the first time in New Jersey. The program, which began in New York in 1999, was created as a program of the Fund for Community Leadership Development, based at New York Theological Seminary, where Dr. Howard served as President. The mission is to combine and engage the untapped resources of economically depressed communities to help youth affected by the criminal justice system to turn their lives around. The program is unique because it creates a coalition of a local church, the New York Theological Seminary, law enforcement, community based social service organizations and youth who will be returning home from juvenile justice programs.

Dr. Howard said, “The goal of Uth Turn is to assist residents of the Essex Residential Community Home to reach their potential as positive and productive members of society and to support them as they transition back into the community. The church is a beacon of light in most communities, representing hope, support, encouragement and guidance for a positive life experience.” The program will provide educational services, vocational training, individual, family, and group counseling sessions as well as workshops on anger management, social development and job and career preparedness for the young men of the ESSEX RCH.

According to Dr. Howard, the congregation has embraced the program with members serving as mentors, counselors and life coaches for the youth. Forty-one members have volunteered to mentor residents of ESSEX RCH. Bethany has more than 40 “Caring Circles” addressing a myriad of social and economic challenges facing the local community and the world. The church’s global initiatives have included work in South Africa, India, Cuba and Russia. In New Jersey, Bethany actively supports a number of community programs including the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Children’s Defense Fund, Girl Scouts, the United Way, YM-YWCA and a number of community based initiatives.

According to Howard L. Beyer, "Juveniles face great challenges when they transition from the structure of a juvenile justice program to the relative freedom of home. Making that reentry process successful is not possible without the assistance of dedicated individuals like Dr. Howard and the mentors from Bethany Baptist Church. With their help, we can make sure that these young men have the support and the guidance they need to be successful."

Essex Residential Community Home is one of fifteen such programs operated by the JJC located throughout the state. RCHs serve as placement options for youth who have been adjudicated by the Family Court System, who are serving a term of probation or have been committed to the JJC. Depending on their individual circumstances, juveniles can be placed directly in a RCH or can be transferred after positive progress at a secure facility. In addition to residential community homes, the JJC operates five secure facilities and six-day programs. The JJC also provides juvenile parole services and funding for community-based programs for juveniles at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.

Essex RCH serves up to thirty male juveniles, ranging in age from 16 to 18. Students receive a full academic curriculum as well as vocational instruction in various trades. While at Essex RCH, students learn coping skills, anger management and receive group and individual counseling. Residents also assist their community by helping to maintain local parks and working with various community groups including the Fifth Street Block Association, Newark Pre-School Council, the AIDS Foundation, the Salvation Army, the Boys and Girls Club and the Brook-Sloate Terrace Cooperative.

Reverend C. Vernon Mason said, "One of my greatest satisfactions as a minister is watching our young people turn their lives around. Therefore, on behalf of all of us at New York Theological Seminary and Uth Turn, we are excited, grateful, and filled with enthusiasm as we launch our National Pilot Project at Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. In 2004, Uth Turn New York served 777 young people, 308 were court adjudicated, and of that number 91 percent did not return to the system—a recidivism rate of 9 percent.

Also participating in today's program were:

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