BALLSTON SPA — A recent drop in the number of PINS cases noted statewide is linked to state legislation enacted in 2005 that called for additional services aimed at correcting childhood and teen behavior before the supervision designation became necessary, a state agency spokeswoman said Wednesday.

A two-hour program next month in Ballston Spa put on by the Saratoga Prevention Council will give parents information on the PINS — person in need of supervision — program and some of those steps parents can take to deal with difficult children.

“There are 40 counties where PINS jurisdictions rest in the probation department,” said Linda Valenti of the state Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives. “In those counties we have seen a decline in the number of new PINS cases that have been opened each year since 2004.”

Other counties in the state designate their social services department or some other entity to oversee PINS cases.

Valenti’s agency is responsible for the oversight of the operation of county probation agencies and correctional alternatives programs.

According to the statistics from probation departments, there were 12,723 new PINS cases in 2006 compared to 19,635 in 2004. Data for 2007 was incomplete, but appeared to show the downward trend was continuing as 35 counties reported a total of 11,363.

“The five counties that didn’t report were smaller counties and probably wouldn’t increase the total substantially,” Valenti said.

Saratoga Prevention Council Program Coordinator Mary Zlotnick said the morning program on June 5 will concentrate on PINS.

“I think there’s a lot of confusion about the PINS program,” she said.

A PINS designation could be made if a child is disobedient, but not delinquent.

Kathy Kuznia of the Saratoga County Probation Department said children ages 7-18 can be designated as a PINS, and her office determines whether it is appropriate.

“There are parental referrals and school referrals,” Kuznia said. “If a parent comes forward it’s because of [the child’s] behavior in the household. If there is verbal abuse, runaway behavior or insubordination, the child may be a PINS.”

She said schools often call when there is a pattern of truancy, disruptive behavior or insubordination.

“We assess each case and try to come up with a treatment plan and often have success to where we won’t have to see the child again,” Kuznia said.

She said some of the steps that could be taken before giving a child a PINS designation include private counseling and random drug testing.

If there is a very difficult case, the child might have to be removed from the home for a while for intensive counseling, she said.

“The number of PINS in the county is high compared to the number of juvenile delinquents,” she said.

A juvenile delinquent designation is made when the young child has behavior that would be considered criminal if they were older.

“These are children, ages 7 to 15, who steal or commit other offenses that would be criminal if they were 16 and could appear in an adult court,” she said.

“Teenagers can be difficult,” she said. “There are so many influences on them between peers and television or the Internet.”

Zlotnick said the free program for parents in Saratoga County on June 5 will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. in the Cooperative Extension Building, 50 W. High St., Ballston Spa.

A limit of 100 participants has been set and Zlotnick said a second program will be held if interest is high enough to warrant it.

“We’d just like to shed some light on the help that is available to parents. They don’t have to go it alone,” she said.

Kuznia will be joined in a panel discussion by the Saratoga Springs City School District attendance supervisor and Josh Shupp-Star, CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services.