Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 13

Volunteers Work in Probation-Parole Program i I I til mH uS fh. Ni A mm Jtt il1n.1, J1VwwJ! I mm i i' By PAT KAILER There is no room for the sometime-inept, often naive, proverbial do-gooder in a volunteer sponsor program for probationers and parolees out of the Area 2 Probation and Parole Office. Caring, yes; overly zealous reforming, no. The innovative program calls for a volunteer to act as a probation or parole officer for an adult felon on a one-to-one basis and, in the words of Jesse Casaus who launched the program, "Getting the right volunteer is all-important." "IT CAN'T BE SOMEONE out for ego kicks, doing good because it makes him feel good, nor someone cramming religion down someone's throat or out to try to make presidential material out of his client. "It has to be someone who will act as a model, guide, counselor, friend someone to talk to, to turn for job help, someone who will not do for his client but help him to help himself and reach out." "The only qualification is a degree of the heart." The program known nationally as Volunteers in Probation Inc.

(VIPA) is associated with the National Council of Crime and Delinquency. THE ORIGINAL IDEA came from a municipal judge, Keith Leenhouts, in Royal Oaks, several years ago and it has been catching on like wildfire throughout the country, now has national conventions and its own publication. It began here after Dave Clark of Mountain Bell, who'd heard of its success elsewhere from a fellow phone worker, brought it to the attention of District Court Judge Vern Payne. From him it went to Casaus. now court administrator but then supervisor of the Area 2 office.

It made sense to Casaus who says, "It does little good to add 100 men to the police force, four more district judges, 10 more assistant district attorneys if at the tail end of the criminal justice system which processes the offender you don't beef up the number of people proportionately, because they receive more and more people, MJMI Ml Ill II Ill Illl (Journil photo Dy Kiy Lry) Volunteer Sponsors in Innovative Probation-Parole Role With Adult Felons Talk With Co-ordinator Dan Panebouef, right Participants in the Program include Dave Clark, left; Harold McBroom, center rear; Robert Cowdrey and Judy Griego iff ALMUyUICRQUK 7 By February of 1972, IS carefully selected volunteers had gone through a 10-hour training session held at the Bernalillo County Mental Health Center two hours a night for five consecutive nights. THERE WERE DISTRICT court judges to explain the judicial system and show support of the court for the project, profession- Ml MM SUNDAY Sept. 16, 1973 Page IM may not follow. Don walk Walk beside me and just be "Don't walk in front of me behind me I may not lead, my friend." Camus. were to step back and let the regular probation-parole officer take over.

One young ex-offender impressed Clark particularly. "He was so bitter at the first session and just didn't see how he could do well with DESEO. He was there just by force, by court order, and very defensive. "BY THE TIME WE HAD a refresher session months later just before we were to get our clients he had been working with DESEO all that time there was a tremendous change. "He could see he was not necessarily persecuted and he was certainly a more compassionate person.

The program really worked with him. Had he been put in prison with the first attitude, another criminal would probably have been created. I think now he'll probably be able to help others after he's out." After the training session, there was some delay while guidelines were set upand things like insurance for volunteers ironed out and by last fall the first clients had been assigned. THEY WERE EITHER PAROLEES or probationers with a deferred sentence (the sentence is not actually imposed but may be if the offender violates probation) or with a suspended sentence (sentence is imposed but its execution suspended). All were carefully picked minimial risk cases for the pilot program, and all volunteers understand if there was a crisis, they the case ratio is higher and higher, and supervision becomes superficial rather than helpful." Al Barickman of Mountain Bell has a client who has turned out to be a truly minimal risk case.

A parolee who was sent to prison on a manslaughter case, the client has had a job for some time and is doing very well without much outside help and Barickman is ready to take on a more challenging client. For a fellow worker, Judy Griego, an artist in Mountain Bell's directory department, the relationship has been more meaningful. HER CLIENT IS A 19-year-old woman picked up on a marijuana charge and placed under the supervision of probation officer Continued on B-6 als speaking on criminal behavior and rehabilitation, and sessions with some of the parolees in the DESEO program for ex-offenders. The sessions, particularly the rap session with ex-offenders, were an eye-opener to the volunteers. Says Casaus, "It was going along pretty well when a volunteer asked a DESEO participant 'what were you up 'Murder' was the answer and there was a long silence, a cooling off for a time in which the volunteers forgot to think of him as an individual.

Then it picked up again." VOLUNTEERS ARE A RICH source for the beefing-up process and using them involves the community and "it is a community problem, you know," says Casaus. "Probation-parole officers have to be so many things to so many people. The nine officers in the non-drug cases handle 65 to 70 people at least. The great advantage of the volunteer is he can work on a one-to-one basis." Women Speak During Week By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Here are some quotable quotes from women during the past week: "I'm in love with my own sound. On stage, I'm not really tuned in to anybody else's sound much.

I think all of us feel that way. That's why an opera performance is kind of a bullfight. If you're not in love with your own sound, you certainly aren't going to make other people like it." Leontyne Price, opera Annual Meet Set by Guild The annual meeting of the Albuquerque Opera Guild is scheduled Wednesday at Albuquerque Country Club with a no host cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7:30. Following dinner, a program is to be presented by the Albuquerque Opera Theater. Mrs.

C. E. McGehee, annual meeting chairman, stresses that this event is for all guild members. Mrs. Cyrus Perkins, retiring president, and board members, L.

Harvey Ivy, Howard Wol-fley and Mmes. Thomas Behnfield, Harrison Smith and Sherman Smith, who are completing their terms, will be honored. New board members beginning three-year terms are Mrs. Jerry Geist, Mrs. Gary Moore, Haig Bodour, J.

Frederick Laval, Howard Le-fenfeld, Tom Neill and Ron Tatum. The program, arranged by Mrs. Ed Peter, will include arias and scenes from "La Boh-eme," a duet from "Cosi Fan Tutte" and arias from "II Trovatore" and "Pagliacci." Performing will be Donna McRae, Katherine Counsell and Virginia Bailey, sopranos; A. V. Wall, tenor, and James Piper, baritone, of the Opera Theater, with Lois McLeod as accompanist.

The Albuquerque Opera Theater's first production was "Cosi Fan Tutte" last January. They will present a full stage production of "Die Fledermaus" Nov. 20 and 21 at Popejoy Hall, and "La Boheme" on May 9 and 10. President of the Opera Theater is Ed Peter and music director is Dr. Kurt Frederick.

Persons interested in supporting Santa Fe Opera are urged to join the Albuquerque Opera Guild. Members and prospective members may call or write Mrs. Monte Doyel, 4134 Coe Dr. NE, for annual meeting dinner "The quack always offers early diagnosis often erroneous and treatment that is instan-taneous, easy, less expensive, nontoxic and magical and in the process a life is lost anda greedy ghoul makes another trip to the bank. They are really committing murder." Helene G.

Brown, president of the American Cancer Society's California division, at a news conference. -A Its. AW''f- I lk Vi XT I' tl i I- i II Til 1 rJf Aft" 1 if IT "American Jews, who constitute some 2Vi per cent of the population, would suffer heavily in any system which accepted racial or ethnic quotas as the gauge for advancement instead of individual merit." Dr. Marie Syrkin, editor of Herzl Press, New York, at a Conference on the Jewish Tradition and Experience. "I'm afraid many women here don't really realize what this means.

Maybe we haven't done enough to stir up their interest." Clara Boscaglia, a 42-year-old teacher who led her countrywomen in a 15-year campaign for equal rights in San Marino. "I have an active mind and I like to keep it that way. I think you're never too old to learn, and what better way to stay alert and aware of what's going on than by going to college?" Bertha Rosenthal Farmer, an 83-year-old widow who has become the oldest coed enrolled at Bernard M. Baruch College, New York. LEFT: Reviewing musical scores to be presented at the annual meeting of the Albuquerque Opera Guild are, left to right, Mrs.

James Killorin, guild member; James Piper, baritone, and Virginia Bailey, soprano, Opera Theater members who will perform. The event is planned Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Albuquerque Country Club. (Journal photo).