COCHISE COUNTY – The Honorable Ann R. Littrell, Presiding Juvenile Superior Court Judge, is pleased to announce the promotion of Ms. Delcy Scull to the position of Director and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer of Cochise County Juvenile Court Services. Ms. Scull took over the position on July 13, 2008 upon the recent retirement of Ms. Myrtle Young.

Delcy Scull, Director and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer of Cochise County Juvenile Court Services.

“We advertised statewide and received a number of applications for this position,” explains Judge Littrell. “There was simply no compelling reason to select someone other than Delcy, who has proven over the years that she can do the job and who is so widely recognized and respected in both the court system and in this county.”

This recent appointment caps Ms. Scull’s 17 years of exemplary service to the juvenile system in Cochise County and statewide. Her career in Juvenile Court Services began as an on-call Detention Officer with the Juvenile Detention Facility, located at that time in Bisbee.

As she started her career, she was told that she would probably not last long as a detention officer because of her exceptional qualifications , and that assessment was correct. Ms. Scull moved into a full-time Probation Officer position within just three months, then onto a position as a Juvenile Court Liaison Officer and then to a Division Director where she honed her skills until this appointment to Director.

“I am very pleased that Delcy Scull has accepted the appointment as our new Director,” said Presiding Superior Court Judge Wallace Hoggatt. “She will continue to put her 17 years of experience to work for the benefit of families in Cochise County.”

Ms. Scull came to Arizona in the early 1990’s from Mississippi. Her educational background includes a degree in Criminal Justice and Social Services with additional graduate studies in Public Administration and Personnel. In taking the department into a new decade, Ms. Scull does not believe in making monumental changes in the system.

“Many times new directors can make the mistake of coming in and making great changes in the beginning,” explained Ms. Scull. “I believe if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. I would rather focus on enhancing our current programs such as the juvenile drug court and truancy.”

She feels a strong desire to focus on truancy as it is a proven contributor to juvenile delinquent behavior. There will be a push to launch two pilot programs targeted at bringing the truant juvenile and his or her family together to work as a unit in preventing future delinquent behavior.

Her other focus will be volunteer recruitment in the community. “We really need more adult mentors, new members in our Community Advisory Board and participation in the Court Appointed Special Advocate program.”

She stated that she also faces a real obstacle in keeping families as whole as possible with the economy the way it is. Part of that effort involves full staffing in five communities around the county, particularly in the schools. Most recently, she had to fight the state’s budget cuts of 5 school Probation positions and successfully did so while saving all the threatened positions.

County staff and the citizens will certainly gain from Ms. Scull’s experience and passion for working with the youth of this region.  According to County Court Administrator Karen Ferrara, “I am delighted with Judge Littrell’s decision to appoint Delcy. The juvenile court is a large and complex mix of operations and has been excellently managed through the years and I’m confident, having worked with Delcy for many years, that this excellence will continue.

For more information on any Juvenile Court Services program, please contact the main office in Bisbee at 432-7523.