Building a SAFeR System: Preventing Tragedy in Child Custody Outcomes
By Kaitlyn Baker, Intern, National Legal Center on Children and Domestic Violence When the justice system fails to protect its…
Remembering Jen Wright
It’s so painful to lose colleagues and friends. We lost Jen Wright on March 16th to cancer; she was a great team member who gave so much to her work. Jen was a long-time staff member at Arrowhead Regional Corrections in Duluth, MN. Jen loved training too, she presented many times for the Battered Women’s Justice Project (BWJP) and Duluth’s Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs (DAIP).
Jen made learning fun. She worked alongside DAIP staff in the development of the interagency responses for which Duluth has become so well known. It is so critical to have committed system-based people who will work from the inside to change the old ways of working by being prepared to try new things, collaborate, strategize, work with those who resist change and try new things all with a sense of humor and thoughtful creative energy and Jen was that person!
Graham Barnes, Scott Miller
The staff of BWJP and DAIP loved working with Jen. She gave 100%. She loved her work, she was driven to work for justice and finding better ways to work together. Jen helped develop the Crossroads Program for victims who fight back and the Probation Sentencing Recommendation Matrix. She supported the development of the Domestic Violence Response Team that identified and tracked high risk cases, and generally kept probation officers focused on risk and danger and the needs of victims.
Jen, we salute your life and work. We love you so much and we thank you for all you have given. We also acknowledge the wonderful friends and family around Jen who helped her through her last stage of life. It’s been humbling to see people give so generously, in the same spirit Jen lived her life. -Graham Barnes