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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 8-b - Resolution to Support Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Allocation Expansion 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 16, 2019 Action Agenda Item No. 8-b SUBJECT: Resolution to Support Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Allocation Expansion DEPARTMENT: Social Services ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Resolution Supporting Juvenile Crime Bernard Miles, 919-245-2243 Prevention Council Allocation Sharron Hinton, 919-245-2840 Expansion PURPOSE: To approve a resolution in support of increased funding to the local Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils (JCPC) in North Carolina. BACKGROUND: The JCPC funding is a partnership between the State of North Carolina and Orange County to ensure a local continuum of services for court involved and at-risk juveniles. Each year the JCPC reviews the needs of juveniles in the county who are at risk of delinquency or who have been adjudicated undisciplined or delinquent and resources available to address those needs. The currently funded Orange County JCPC programs include the following: 1. Boomerang — a resiliency-based program that engages youth ages 11-17 at risk for disconnection due to short-term suspension or court-involvement, by providing support services to mitigate the risk of school dropout through brief counseling, tutoring, and life skills development during out-of-school time. 2. Child and Adolescent Outpatient Services — community group therapy sessions delivering Dialectical Behavior Therapy or Seven Challenges, based on the needs identified of referred youth. 3. Family Advocacy Network — programming delivered to parents primarily in a group setting, providing Common Sense Parenting. 4. Juvenile Community Service and Restitution — works with youth who have committed offenses and are assigned community service hours and/or restitution. 5. Mediation/Conflict Resolution — restorative justice practices consisting of mediated conferences, accountability processes, and group circles by trained facilitators. 6. Teen Court — an alternative court program for middle and high school students based upon the principles of restorative justice. First time offenders are tried and sentenced by a jury of their peers. 7. Wrenn House — a crisis shelter designed to provide a safe environment for runaway, homeless and in-crisis youth. 2 8. Young Warriors Athlete Scholarship Program — challenge programming to promote interpersonal skill-building for at-risk and court-referred youth through disciplined karate instruction and training. The state has not increased JCPC funding in over nine years. The recent passing of the Raise the Age legislation in 2017 expands the age of juvenile jurisdiction, increasing it to include juveniles ages 16 and 17 years of age, effective December 1, 2019. With this new legislation, it is anticipated that there will be an increased need for immediate and age-appropriate sanctions and diversion services for juvenile offenders and those at-risk of delinquency. The attached resolution supports the adequate and timely increase of local JCPC funding to ensure program expansion and successful implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act Raise the Age legislation in December 2019. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the resolution. There is the potential for increased revenue for the County contingent upon approval by the North Carolina General Assembly. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY The reduction of risks from vehicle/traffic accidents, childhood and senior injuries, gang activity, substance abuse and domestic violence. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the resolution and authorize the Chair to sign, and authorize the Clerk to send the signed resolution to the other 99 North Carolina counties, Orange County's legislative delegation, and Governor Roy Cooper.. 3 RES-2019-024 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 200 S Cameron Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Resolution Supporting Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Allocation Expansion WHEREAS, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) funding is a partnership between the State of North Carolina and the County to ensure a local continuum of services for court involved and at-risk juveniles; and WHEREAS, the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, under the authority of North Carolina General Statute (NCGS) §143B-851, and within the scope of its powers and duties, "Each County Council shall annually review the needs of juveniles in the county who are at risk of delinquency or who have been adjudicated undisciplined or delinquent and the resources available to address those needs. In particular, each County Council shall assess the needs of juveniles in the county who are at risk or who have been associated with gangs or gang activity, and the local resources that are established to address those needs;" and WHEREAS, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act approved in 2017, also referenced as North Carolina's Raise the Age legislation, expands the age of juvenile jurisdiction, increasing it to include juveniles ages 16 and 17 years of age effective December 1, 2019; and WHEREAS, Raise the Age legislation will increase the need for immediate and age-appropriate sanctions and diversion services for juvenile offenders and those at-risk of delinquency; and WHEREAS, JCPC funding has seen no increase in more than nine years; and WHEREAS, the effort to immediately and effectively address juvenile offending behavior is an evidence-based investment in North Carolina's future; and WHEREAS, effective intervention and programming reduces detention and youth development commitments as a cost savings to the State and County; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Orange County fully supports an adequate and timely increase of local Juvenile Crime Prevention funding to ensure program expansion and successful implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act Raise the Age legislation, set for December 1, 2019. Adopted this 16t" day of April 2019. Penny Rich, Chair Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board Orange County Board of Commissioners