Village of Monticello Judge Josephine Finn is tired in seeing our courtrooms overflowing with criminal activity and she is convinced preventive measures can stop our youth from entering our revolving door criminal justice system.
During the past several years Judge Finn has been on a crusade to raise money both public and private for her highly successful DREAM TANK project.
DREAM TANK teaches a core group of high-risk adolescence how to take responsibility while learning and having fun all at the same time. Those who finish the course successfully then become mentors to the next group, and so on and so forth.
Judge Finn, who recently was appointed to the New York State Board of Regents, deserves a standing ovation from each and every resident in Sullivan County for conceiving this brilliant program. This is the type of “Out of the Box” thinking we so desperately need in Sullivan County.
Regrettably, the Sullivan County Legislature does not see it that way and due to continual budget restraints the Dream Tank’s county funding has been slashed from a record $60,000 several years ago to a little over $33,000 this year.
Legislator Cora Edwards who chairs the Public Safety Committee has been a strong advocate of the DREAM TANK and its funding.
Thankfully the legislature’s actions have not stopped Josephine Finn in her efforts to continue the work of the DREAM TANK and to raise funds. Finn is planning many fundraising events for the DREAM TANK besides going after corporate, state and federal grant funding.
A major event scheduled for next week is a cruise aboard the Skyline Princess sailing from the World’s Fair Marina, Flushing Meadows, Queens, on Saturday May 3, 2104, boarding at 12:30PM, Departure at 1 PM, and Disembark at 5 PM.
The “DREAM TANK SPRING FLING” fundraiser will cruise around Manhattan with a DJ while guests will dine and view the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, South Street Seaport, The Freedom Tower, and many other famous New York sites.
Tickets for the Dream Tank Cruise is $80, and includes no alcoholic drinks, there will be a cash bar. Round trip transportation from Sullivan County will cost an additional $20, from the Ted Strobele Center in Monticello at 9:30 AM Sharp. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact Tuwanda Martin at ani955@yahoo.com
The Dream Tank program gives our youth a strong foundation and a sense of direction. Without a doubt it lessens and hopefully prevents the need for criminal justice programs in the future. Prevention is always more productive and cost-effective for all of us including taxpayers.
Our elected officials must understand that programs like the Dream Tank must run parallel to existing law enforcement and intervention efforts.
Judge Finn’s goal is to divert and reduce the number of youths and young adults who enter the juvenile or adult penal systems. We must all work with her to prevent these potential incarcerations.
As a society we must take preventive measures as well as find criminal justice solutions. Our solution cannot be just putting people in jail, and the Dream Tank is attempting to do something on the front end.
History shows that once someone enters our criminal justice system there is little rehabilitation and they just become repeat offenders, ultimately costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
Our county is plagued with children having children, and many of those parents continually ignore the needs of their offspring. The vicious cycle of family lineage of criminals must cease. I am tired of hearing from law enforcement officials that they are arresting the children of the parents they arrested years before for the same type of crimes.
District Attorney Jim Farrell told me his office is flooded with these types of cases and that there is a desperate need for programs that entail preventive measures.
Judge Finn’s program will not only target members of our population that other programs do not, but hopefully it will restore some morals, respect, and self worth in these children.
Thank you Judge Josephine Finn for the DREAM TANK” project and we all wish you continued success.
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion every week in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.