A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:

James J. Edwards, Chief Managing Officer for the Juvenile Division of Probation and Court Services, Graduates from the Leadership Institute

(Woodstock, IL) On August 29, 2016, James Edwards completed a journey that not many have taken and graduated as part of the fifth class of the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) Leadership Institute.

The APPA Leadership Institute is designed to provide participants with a fundamental understanding of leadership within community corrections.

Further, this intense program is intended for people from various backgrounds and leadership experience and increase one’s critical thinking skills and analytical abilities in order to sustain the demands of leadership and further develop greater capacity to exercise leadership and authority.

The APPA Leadership Institute is a twelve month program of self-discovery and organizational change for community corrections professionals.

It is a collaboration of the APPA, the National Association of Probation Executives, the Correctional Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University and the Nation Institute of Corrections and The Williams Institute.

James began his career with the 22nd Judicial Circuit in March, 2011 and has served as the Chief Managing Officer of the Juvenile Division throughout his tenure.

He has been instrumental in the development and implementation of many of the evidence based practices that are now part of the Department of Probation and Court Services.

Prior to McHenry County, James served in the Circuit Court of Cook County as a Domestic Violence Program Caseworker, Coordinator of Substance Abuse Services and as Deputy Director of Juvenile Services.