tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414078762916029272011-04-21T20:45:46.729-05:00Update of activities of three community corrections staffers from Iowa's Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services participating in a staff exchange in the country of Poland during May 2009.IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.comBlogger301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-45747220542158530442009-05-28T22:41:00.004-05:002009-05-29T00:23:24.237-05:00

May 29th, 2009 Warsaw, Poland. It is nearly six am here in Poland. Our stay in this country is coming to an end. Cathy and Lori are now at the airport. Cathy has a 7:30 am flight Rome. She'll spend several days there before travelling on to London. Lori has a 9:15 am to Munich where she'll join her husband and son. The Traegers will visit Munich, travel to Italy and on to Austria before

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-72293037325208050792009-05-28T13:34:00.011-05:002009-05-28T13:59:04.081-05:00

We spent the day Thursday touring the sights of Warsaw. It is important to understand that nearly everything in Warsaw was destroyed in WWII. The city was rebuilt after the war, recreating the original wall around the old city, the original palace for royalty, and many other buildings. We began our tour by walking to the Old Market Square area. We visited the palace that housed Poland's royal

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-37594236421127899802009-05-28T13:34:00.000-05:002009-05-28T13:41:09.219-05:00

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-2035870078190495122009-05-28T13:23:00.006-05:002009-05-28T13:34:25.924-05:00

Wednesday evening we joined six judges from the Ministry of Justice for a traditional Polish dinner. Two of the judges, Kryzstof and Slowic, were present in Cedar Rapids two years ago. We enjoyed very interesting discussions about the structure and practice of the judicial system in Poland. The judges shared with us that they are the Next Generation of judges in Poland, as many of the former

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-86681633402274998892009-05-28T13:23:00.001-05:002009-05-28T13:23:27.724-05:00

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-61986971979567181702009-05-28T13:08:00.005-05:002009-05-28T13:23:03.399-05:00

Wednesday morning, we departed Poznan and traveled to Warsaw by intercity train. It was an interesting and new experience for all of us. We rode in a compartment of six people, and we were able to see the countryside as we traveled. When we arrived in Warsaw, we proceeded to the Pedagogium, part of a private University in Warsaw, to join a conference on stress and burnout. Lori and Cathy

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-88797206289877678692009-05-28T12:57:00.006-05:002009-05-28T13:08:20.889-05:00

Tuesday evening we joined Chief Szostak, Dorota, Professors Ambrozik, Barczykowska, and Stepniak, and Sonia, our student interpreter, for a wonderful dinner in the Old Market Square. We spent time discussing our visit, the possibility of future visits, and saying our goodbyes. We handed out gifts to thank our hosts and hostesses, including gifts for the victims of domestic violence provided by

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-80472620501819919852009-05-26T09:44:00.005-05:002009-05-26T10:26:17.753-05:00

Monday morning we visited Zaklad Poprawczy in Poznan, a reformatory for juvenile boys that would be equivalent to Iowa's state training school in Toledo. There are 26 of these training schools in Poland and there will also be a re-entry center for juvenile boys opening in September of this year. Every officer that works at this facility is trained as an educator, and the focus of the center is "

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-90907792290209389922009-05-24T15:18:00.009-05:002009-05-24T15:36:37.332-05:00

The Rick Steves tour guide series encourages travelers to experience "Europe through the Back Door", meaning to get off the beaten path and interact with the locals. Here are some examples of ways that we have fully experienced Europe.Frustrated by the triangle and circle denoting bathrooms, Sam takes comfort in this universal sign.We find a new logo for the AnCHOR Center.Lori and Lydia change

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-61836796454139350732009-05-24T14:41:00.010-05:002009-05-24T15:14:00.511-05:00

Today's sightseeing started with a trip to Lednica, a reconstruction of an 18th century village. Original structures were brought to the site to construct a full picture of a village from that era. Both the way of living under Russian rule (poorer living) and Prussian rule (wealthier side) were represented. Our guides today were Lydia, a probation officer from Posnan, and Jarik, a probation

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-41207810839158317882009-05-24T13:12:00.012-05:002009-05-25T00:57:04.005-05:00

It was here that the three of us were able to tour our first castle, moat and all. Asia was our driver and tour guide for the day. Asia works as a lawyer and a instructor at the university. Built back in the 13th century, the castle was initially the home of Polish kings and princes and then changed hands in the late 19th century, becoming the home of a local, wealthy family. Later, it was

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-54784100974369543892009-05-23T13:46:00.006-05:002009-05-23T14:05:20.025-05:00

Saturday morning we visited Professor Agnes' graduate class. Sam presented to the group on Hope House, and Cathy and Lori presented on Stress and Burnout in the field of Corrections. We were able to have dialog with the students, many of whom are working as teachers, volunteer probation officers, etc. about what we do. The students seemed to find the information engaging, and found the

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-87050806164264882282009-05-23T13:37:00.002-05:002009-05-23T13:46:34.464-05:00

May 22nd, 2009. Situated on the island of Ostrow Tumski, between the Warta and Cybina rivers, goes back to the dawn of Christianity in Poland, i.e. to the second half of the 10th century. The first Cathedral, originally called St. Peter's church, was erected on the site of the present Gothic structure in the year 968. This church has been destroyed by fire and rebuilt two different times. On

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-21398041172411778402009-05-23T13:13:00.003-05:002009-05-23T13:37:38.084-05:00

Friday May 22nd. Once we left Judge Hejduk's office we visited a criminal probation unit in Poznan. We found out that each probation office is an extension of the Poznan District Court. So... The officer could meet with a client in one room of the office building, then escort the client to the next room for a hearing with a Judge. The Manager of this unit, Anna Wysocka and her staff shared

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-32744478680436936312009-05-23T12:42:00.004-05:002009-05-23T13:13:14.208-05:00

Friday, May 22nd. Today we went to the District Court in Poznan. We were warmly received by the Chairman of the District Court, Judge Jozefowich. He is appointed to this position by the National Minister of Justice. The Chairperson of Court in each district serves a six year term. A Chairperson cannot serve more than one term. Once Justice Jozefowich's term is over he will return to his

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-36363747256290401592009-05-21T16:17:00.008-05:002009-05-22T01:27:51.666-05:00

May 21st 2009. This afternoon we visited one of five "Probation Centers" in the Wielkolpolska region. The Probation Center is an after school facility for juveniles that have been brought before the court on delinquency petitions or Child in Need of Assistance Petitions. The Probation Center is structured time after school for children. Homework, paraprofessional counseling, role modeling,

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-17271959234747174842009-05-21T15:15:00.002-05:002009-05-21T15:50:06.476-05:00

This afternoon we visited with several POs and the manager from Family Probation Court. First of all, Family Court in Poland is not like Family Court in the U.S. Family Probation Court serves all cases involving juvenille offenders, offenders with alcohol or other substance related issues, and their version of our ChINA cases. This unit of 11 Professional Probation Officers supervises 13,500

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-24912188392321106222009-05-21T14:21:00.004-05:002009-05-21T15:15:08.640-05:00

Agnieszka Rusinska, Bedziesz Foundation Director Agnieszka Zachmann, Bedziesz Foundation Assistant Director Today we met with members of the "Bedziesz" Foundation in Poznan. This is a Domestic Violence Coalition operating in the Wielkolposka District. The members present today included representatives from Family Court Probation, the District Court Judiciary, and Polish Prison Services. The

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-27490846096343888452009-05-21T14:18:00.004-05:002009-05-21T14:42:17.320-05:00

May 21st, 2009. We met with Chief Probation Officer, Irena Szostak, in her office. We were introduced to her staff and then joined her for brunch. She explained that the Wielkolposka District is composed of 21 regional courts. A regional court is the equivalent of a county court in Iowa. Chief Szostak supervises the largest probation system in Poland. The Wielkolposka supervision agency

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-86974096249894334092009-05-21T13:04:00.004-05:002009-05-21T14:18:41.172-05:00

On Thursday morning, the three of us headed out to visit with Chief Probation Officer, Irena Szostak. While walking to her office, we passed through the old city of Poznan. It is a quaint area, with streets of large cobblestone, outdoor cafes and beautiful architecture. We posed at the water fountain for a brief photo "opp.," took a picture of the old government building and other photos of

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-49182740253238148162009-05-21T12:22:00.002-05:002009-05-21T12:49:42.674-05:00

On the last day of the conference, the three of us were able to present information on drug treatment court, Hope House and the Duluth curriculum (BEP). A brief comparison was made between the Duluth curriculum in Poland and in the State of Iowa. The Polish program has been operating since 2002 in the prison systems and in the community. When a client is sentenced they are either placed on

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-80407287836930776172009-05-20T16:09:00.003-05:002009-05-20T18:34:31.097-05:00

1. Nobody walks against the traffic lights - EVER!2. When going to the "toaleta," triangles are for boys and circles are for girls!(Ask Sam about this one.)3. Judges have professional drivers.4. WSKS (Polish Probation Officer's association) REQUIRES there be a free day with no organized activities scheduled during their conferences. People often bring their FAMILIES to these events.5. When

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-57040775275793456682009-05-20T15:55:00.004-05:002009-05-20T18:41:05.721-05:00

1. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle after consuming ANY alcohol in Poland. At Polish corrections afterfunctions, if a probation officer has had a few drinks prior to leaving the conference, he/she can walk to the local police station to receive a B.A test. If positive, the probation officer is not charged, just must wait to drive. What if America became this serious about addressing

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-82635421373068637912009-05-20T14:42:00.004-05:002009-05-20T15:43:02.674-05:00

Tuesday, May 19, 2009This morning we left the hotel early to drive to the town of Mielno on the Baltic Sea. First, I blew up my hair dryer and blew the fuse to my room. Thanks Lori for letting me use your hair dryer. And your adaptor. And your electricity. :)Dorota met us to embark on our journey. Darius was our driver, a Professional Driver employed by the probation district to drive the Chief

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-61140857707920812992009-05-18T23:08:00.005-05:002009-05-20T15:05:05.482-05:00

Tuesday May 19th 2009. Sam's post - As you can tell by signage in the picture, we are no longer in the United States. We arrived in Poland on Monday, May 18th. Travel to Poland went as planned. We arrived in Poznan at 5:15 pm Polish time. That translates to 10:15 am in Iowa. It also means that we had each been up for more than 24 hours by the time we got to Poznan. Sleeping on an airplane

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-42866840504944783222009-05-16T19:42:00.005-05:002009-05-16T22:41:13.434-05:00

Sam's Post - Today I spoke to Dorota Wrobleska. Dorota, a Polish Probation Officer, will be our guide and interpreter while we are in Poland. She has visited Iowa's Sixth Judicial District on two previous occasions. I first met Officer Wrobleska two years ago when the initial Polish delegation came to Iowa. She served as the delegation interpreter then. Officer Wrobleska returned to the

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-81559234505806201302009-05-12T17:01:00.003-05:002009-05-12T17:08:12.151-05:00

Hi Everyone! I am really posting just to make sure I understand how to do this. Thanks to Sam for setting this up, and for taking the super flattering profile picture with no advance warning. :)I am very excited to be part of this trip to Poland, and excited about all the new experiences we will have. I am also preparing to share on Drug Treatment Court while in Poland, as there is not a

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-18145580817053307092009-05-12T16:36:00.004-05:002009-05-14T00:43:52.849-05:00

Here is what the itinerary for our trip to Poland looks like:May 17th. Depart from Cedar Rapids, Iowa regional airport for Chicago O'Hare airport. 9:55 pm flight from O'Hare to Warsaw, Poland direct.May 18th. Land in Warsaw, Poland. Take flight from Warsaw to Poznan, Poland. Arrival: Approximately 5:15 pm Polish time. This is approximately 10:15 am US Central Standard time. Overnight in

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-29314279956485692602009-05-12T10:03:00.002-05:002009-05-12T12:03:13.772-05:00

Shutter-Bug Sam took the photo of the three of us, without any prior knowledge or prep time for Cathy and me! Cathy and I agreed that it was a bad hair day. So did Sam!Anyway, the team is very excited about this opportunity to travel to Poland. I can't believe that it is less than one week away that we begin this incredible journey. In the last few weeks and days, we've completed a power

Lori Traegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08593273748039098150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241407876291602927.post-67256039197583854942009-05-06T20:53:00.020-05:002009-05-14T00:43:11.940-05:00

Welcome to Iowans in Poland 2009. This blog is hosted by Lori Traeger, Cathy McGinnis and Sam Black. The purpose is to communicate by word and pictures with the our colleagues in Iowa's Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services while the three of us participate in a staff exchange in the country of Poland. Our intent is that we will each post a short entry each day (with

IowansinPoland2009noreply@blogger.com