Title
Interlocal Agreement for the Youth Diversion Program
Action
Action:
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager 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
Martha Dozier, 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 for programs targeting youth offenders.
§ The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) was awarded $199,255 in funding from the JCPC to support the eleventh 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 youth offenders to the diversion program.
§ Program services administered by the CMPD’s Youth Diversion Program will include interpersonal skill building, conflict resolution, substance awareness, academics, and career development plan workshops. Additionally, there will be sessions where youth are joined by their parents or guardians to address issues related to family dynamics.
§ Parental skill training will also be provided to the parents/guardians of program participants.
§ Youth offenders who have committed first time offenses such as simple assault, larceny, public disturbance, trespassing, or damage to property may be referred to the program if they meet the criteria established by the CMPD and the Mecklenburg County District Attorney.
§ Youth are referred to the program in lieu of being arrested for an offense they have committed.
§ Once a youth has completed the diversion program, the assigned school resource officer will engage the youth in weekly conversations to help apply the lessons learned through the program.
§ Currently, the program has served 3,631 youth, 3,277 (90.3 percent) of whom did not commit any further offenses 12 months after program completion.
Fiscal Note
Funding: General Grants Fund
Attachments
Attachment(s)
Resolution