The Florida Department of Law Enforcement's clock shows that crime is still a prime concern in Florida with 1 murder committed every 9 hours, a robbery every 24 minutes and a violent crime every 5 minutes. But there is one category of crime trend that is on its way down and that is in the area of juvenile violent crimes.
Clearwater, Florida, November 13, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Addressing juvenile and adult offenders alike is one local group, supported by the Church of Scientology, which opened up a new office in Downtown Clearwater, Florida just this past summer – Criminon Florida. This group has been in existence in Florida for over 20 years working with inmates on a voluntary basis and using L. Ron Hubbard’s The Way to Happiness to restore inmates’ their lost self-respect.
Criminon’s The Way to Happiness program was introduced to one Florida youth development center, servicing boys ages 13-18. The five-day curriculum comprises 21 common-sense moral code precepts. Each precept deals with a specific area or activity of life, and explains why following such a code of conduct will actually lead to a better life.
"It is in fact this understanding of the 21 precepts of The Way to Happiness which helps the individual realize why ethical behavior is the way to lead a happier and more productive life. And when young people understand this, they change their behavior themselves."
Sandro Lohmann, Executive Director of Criminon Florida
Sandro Lohmann, the Executive Director of Criminon Florida said, “It is in fact this understanding of the 21 precepts of The Way to Happiness which helps the individual realize why ethical behavior is the way to lead a happier and more productive life. And when young people understand this, they change their behavior themselves.”
Mr. Lohmann’s words rang true when one young man from the youth development center offered this realization after completing the course, “Never give up. Keep at whatever you are trying to succeed in, and anything pretty much takes lots of practice.”
25 youth at the facility completed the course, with each receiving a certificate of completion at a graduation ceremony. The results were so promising that center executives will hold another round of Criminon classes in the coming year.
Over 300 inmates from institutions all across Florida have joined the roster of Criminon students since the organization’s opening of its new offices by the Church of Scientology in downtown Clearwater. Additionally, 4 new institutions have adopted the program with 516 inmates completing The Way to Happiness extension courses Criminon provides.
Criminon Florida
Criminon Florida is dedicated to implementing its criminal rehabilitation program instituted nearly five decades ago. It has established on site programs in a dozen correctional institutions and delivers correspondence courses to inmates in 100 facilities throughout the state. In realizing its mission, Criminon Florida has guided some 20,000 inmates through courses designed to help them make a fresh start in life as productive members of society. With its new headquarters, Criminon Florida is committed to still further increasing its outreach to rehabilitate even more offenders and slap the cuffs on revolving-door recidivism and stopping it in its tracks.
For more information, contact Criminon Florida, 45 North Fort Harrison, Clearwater, Florida 33755, call 727-467-6963 or email sandro.l@cos.flag.org. The new offices are open to the public from 10 am to 10 pm daily with interactive displays outlining Criminon’s 50 year history, a seminar room, a conference room and offices for volunteers to work on the inmates extension courses.
For more information: Contact: Pat Harney 727-467-6860
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