Title
Interlocal Agreement for Youth Diversion Program Grant for Fiscal Year 2025
Action
Action:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to negotiate and execute an interlocal agreement with Mecklenburg County through its Criminal Justice Services to provide an alternative to arrest for youthful offenders while maintaining accountability for delinquent acts and providing support to redirect behavior.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Johnny Jennings, Police
Julie Barry, Police
Cara Evans-Patterson, Police
Explanation
§ Each year Mecklenburg County’s Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) receives funds from the North Carolina Division of Juvenile Justice to support programs that assist youth offenders.
§ The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) was awarded $240,000 in funding from the JCPC to support the fourteenth year of CMPD’s Youth Diversion Program.
§ Funding will enable school resource officers, patrol, and court counselors from the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to refer up to 400 first-time juvenile offenders to the Diversion Program.
§ Program services administered by CMPD’s Youth Diversion Program will include interpersonal skill building, conflict resolution, substance awareness, academics, and career development plan workshops.
§ Parental skill training will also be provided to the parents/guardians of program participants.
§ Individual offenders who have committed first-time offenses such as simple assault, larceny, public disturbance, trespassing, or damage to property and meet the criteria established by CMPD and the Mecklenburg County District Attorney may be referred to the program.
§ Individuals are referred to the program in lieu of being arrested for the offense committed.
§ Once an individual has completed the diversion program, the assigned school resource officer engages the individual in weekly conversations to help apply the lessons learned through the program.
§ To date, the program has served 4,592 youth, 4,156 of whom did not commit any further offenses within 12 months after program completion.
Fiscal Note
Funding: General Grants Fund
Attachments
Attachment(s)
Resolution