Cayuga County Youth Bureau

"Preventing Delinquency Through Positive Youth Development"

Department Description:
The Cayuga County Youth Bureau has a broad legislative mandate to promote the physical, emotional, and social well being of the youth in Cayuga County. The Youth Bureau fulfills this mandate by stimulating and supporting the development of services and activities designed to assist all youth in becoming valued, contributing members of society. In 1998, the New York State Office of Children and Families will make available close to two hundred thousand dollars for the Youth Bureau to promote and fund over forty-five programs which will address local youth needs.

Philosophy
The Cayuga County Youth Bureau's mission describes its unique role as part of providing government youth services within the County of Cayuga. Although other county departments may be involved in the positive development of youth, the Youth Bureau is the only county department whose central objective is preventing delinquency. While the Youth Bureau has this as its unique mission, it recognizes that it cannot accomplish this broad objective alone. It must work in close partnership with many other organizations and individuals in both the public and private sector.

The Youth Bureau's first priority in dealing with the problems of delinquency is to prevent delinquent acts from occurring. Even in the best of times, under the most optimal of circumstances, total success we realize is unlikely. To further this prevention concept, the Youth Bureau actively supports programs which seek to foster the positive involvement and attachment of youth to family, school, and positive peer groups, recognizing that positive commitments on the part of youth reduce the likelihood of the occurrence of delinquent behavior.

The Youth Bureau, in conjunction with the Youth Board which is representative of the community, is in an excellent position to organize the community for the development of programs and other action strategies tailored to local youth needs and resources. The Youth Bureau can therefore coordinate the broadest possible range of programs to produce a comprehensive service delivery system.

Created:5/5/98 Updated: 8/24/1999