http://www.ncdjjdp.org/
General Statute
General Statue 143B-543 sets out that it is the intent of
the General Assembly to develop community based alternatives
to youth development centers and to provide community based
delinquency and substance abuse prevention strategies and
programs.
The statute also says that the General Assembly intends
to provide non-institutional disposition alternatives that
will protect the community and juveniles. These programs
and services are to be planned at the local level by local
Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils (JCPCs) in partnership
with the state.
To receive funding for juvenile court services and delinquency
prevention programs, the county Board of Commissioners must
appoint a Juvenile Crime Prevention Council. The council
includes the local school superintendent(s), a chief of
police, the local sheriff, the district attorney, the chief
court counselor, the director of the area mental health,
developmental disabilities and substance abuse authority,
the director of the county department of social services,
the county manager, a substance abuse professional, a member
of the faith community, a county commissioner, a person
under the age of 21, a juvenile defense attorney, the chief
district court judge, a member of the business community,
the local health director, a representative from the United
Way or other nonprofit agency, a representative of a local
parks and recreation program and up to seven members of
the public to be appointed by the county board of commissioners.
The statute allows for some of the listed public agency
heads to designate a representative from their agency for
the council.
Each year, the JCPCs conduct a planning process which includes
a review of the needs of juveniles in the county who are
at risk of delinquency or who have been adjudicated undisciplined
or delinquent and review the resources available to address
those needs. The Councils then prioritize community risk
factors for youth, for families and for the community and
determine the services needed to address those problem areas.
The councils develop and advertise a request for proposal
process and submit a written plan of action for the expenditure
of juvenile sanction and prevention funds to the board of
county commissioners for its approval. In addition, the
JCPCs evaluate the performance of programs for juveniles
and the services they provide, work to increase public awareness
of the causes of delinquency and of strategies to reduce
the problem, develop strategies to intervene and appropriately
respond to and treat the needs of juveniles at risk of delinquency
and provide funds for services for treatment, counseling,
or rehabilitation for juveniles and their families.
DJJDP Regional Consultants from the Prevention/Intervention
Division provide technical assistance and support to each
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, to county government
for juvenile justice planning and fiscal management and
to local programs for program development and compliance
with operating and performance standards.
The Intervention and Prevention Division state office provides
overall program planning and management to assure uniform
service standards, coordinates and provides training and
consultation for local staff, collects data, responds to
legislators’ and other requests for information or
recommendations, and develops policies and procedures for
the Division. The Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention through the Intervention Division, manages aid
to county funds allocated from the North Carolina General
Assembly for county government development and continuation
of local juvenile justice programs as planned and recommended
by the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Councils.