Gov. Butch Otter’s appointee to lead the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections has been approved by a Senate panel.  Sharon Harrigfeld has served as the temporary director of juvenile corrections since August, following her appointment by Otter.

“She’s working really hard,” Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, said prior to the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee approving Harrigfeld’s confirmation on a 7-0 vote.  “She’s trying to keep up the pace of what’s required… and improve the opportunity of our kids in juvenile corrections.”

Harrigfeld was the administrator of Juvenile Corrections’ Community Operations and Programs Services Division from April 2007 to last August.  Before that, she was a juvenile justice planner for the department for almost 12 years, administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for the Governor’s Commission for Children and Youth for eight years, and a consultant on juvenile justice and substance abuse issues for seven years.

Harrigfeld’s confirmation now heads to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.