1. Overview of Juvenile Justice to State Collaborative
Deputy Commissioner of Juvenile Justice
July 22, 2016

2. Mission
The mission of the juvenile justice system in North Carolina is to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by effectively operating an integrated, comprehensive juvenile justice system that intervenes, educates, and treats youth in order to strengthen families and increase public safety.

3. Juvenile Justice History

4. History: Eighteenth Century
Children treated much like adults
Incarceration became favored over execution and other punishments
Concerns about housing children
with older serious offenders
Governors often pardoned young offenders

5. History: Nineteenth Century
Houses of refuge
Apprenticeship
Attempts to “save” children through rehabilitation and discipline
Creation of larger industrial and reform schools
Continued use of adult prisons

6. History: Twentieth Century
In North Carolina, concerns resulted in 1907 legislation authorizing Stonewall Jackson Manual Training and Industrial School
Funded by state legislature in 1909

7. History: Twentieth Century
1919: First N.C. Juvenile Court Act
1943: State Board of Correction and Training created by N. C. Legislature
: Eight training schools built in N.C.

8. History: Twentieth Century: Continued
1919: First N.C. Juvenile Court Act
1943: State Board of Correction and Training created by N. C. Legislature
: Eight training schools built in N.C.
Juvenile Services Division created within Administration of Courts Juvenile Detention Services Unit created by N.C. General Assembly

9. History: Twentieth Century: Continued
: Three training schools transferred to NC DOC
1978: Community based alternatives to training school implemented with appropriation of one million dollars
1980: New juvenile code became effective “Willie M” class action lawsuit settled Juveniles removed from adult jails
State operated detention centers in Cumberland, Gaston, Wilkes & Pitt counties.

10. History: Twentieth Century: Continued
1997: Governor named Commission on Juvenile Crime and Justice to review juvenile code Commission’s recommendations become Juvenile Justice Reform Act passed by N.C. General Assembly Office of Juvenile Justice created, combining Division of Youth Services from DHHS and Juvenile Services Division from AOC.

11. History: Twenty-First Century
2000: General Assembly creates cabinet level Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention George Sweat is first Secretary.
2003: Performance audit by State Treasurer’s office reveals need for replacement facilities due to outdated, unsafe condition of current facilities Therapeutic Environment Training initiated at YDCs.

12. History: Twenty-First Century: Continued
2003: Construction of five new facilities approved by General Assembly.
2006: Four replacement facilities conduct groundbreaking ceremonies.
2008: Four replacement facilities open, Rockingham facility in planning stage.

13. Strategic Plan G.S. 143B-806 (b) October 2013 April 2014
Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety requested review of youth development centers
April 2014
JJ Strategic Plan: Renovations & Reinvestment
2/11/2016

14. Strategic Plan: Goals
Phase out outdated/unsafe/underutilized facilities
Renovate/expand facilities that are safer, more secure, and more cost-efficient
Enhance support operations, such as transportation
Continue to provide treatment and education rooted in a cognitive-behavioral approach, targeting criminogenic needs
2/11/2016

15. Strategic Plan: Goals
Reinvest cost savings into community-based programming
Plan and be prepared for potential future changes to the juvenile justice system
7 22, 2016

16. Progress Update
The Plan
2/11/2016

17. Gaston Juvenile Detention Center
Gaston Juvenile Detention Center (moved to Stonewall Jackson campus, Kirk Building) - Completed August [added 6 beds to capacity]
2/11/2016

18. Prior Current 126 132 Prior Current 78 62 204 194
State Juvenile Detention Center
Prior
Current
Alexander 24
Gaston
Cabarrus 30
Cumberland 18
New Hanover
Pitt
Wake
Subtotal State:
126
132
County Juvenile Detention Center
Prior
Current
Durham 14
Forsyth 16
Guilford 48
Subtotal County: 78 62
Total:
204
194
2/11/2016 18

19. Youth Development Centers
By October 2016, all YDCs will operate with a consistent OJJDP Promising Practice program model
C.A. Dillon to Edgecombe
Edgecombe to open April 2016; Open House: TBD
C.A. Dillon D Housing Unit for crisis beds - completed July 2015
Dobbs to Lenoir- Scheduled for October 2016
Stonewall Jackson
McWhorter Renovation (30 beds) - scheduled to utilize by July 2016
Kirk Renovation- completed Aug 2015 & houses juvenile detention beds
Chatham
2/11/2016

20. YDC Capacity Youth Development Center Current Projected
Stonewall Jackson 96
126
C.A. Dillon 90
Edgecombe 44
Chatham 32
Dobbs 43
Lenoir
Total:
261
246
Average Daily Population (Jan 2016) = 229
2/11/2016 20

21. Completed Community Programs Projects
Community-Based Contractual Services Expansion
Short-Term Residential Bed Expansion
Crisis and Assessment Centers Establishment
Transitional Residential Bed Expansion
Future Prevention Programming Expansion Requests
Gang Initiatives / Prevention EBP
5/4/2019

22. Community-Based Contractual Services Expansion
Expanded AMIkids Functional Family Therapy (FFT) availability from 48 to 89 counties via Community-Based Service Contract
2/11/2016

23. Short-Term Residential Expansion
Fall 2014 – Increased Eckerd Candor Residential Program (male) by 4 beds (32 to 36)
Phased Expansion – 2016
March - Increase Eckerd Candor Residential (male) by 4 beds (36 to 40)
May - Increase Eckerd Boomer Residential (male) by 6 beds (24 to 30)
Fall 2016
Increase Eckerd Boomer Residential Program (male) by 6 beds* (30 to 36)
*Need to build 4th dorm on this campus to expand beyond 30 beds
Increase female beds by 8 (16 to 24)
2/11/2016

24. Crisis and Assessment Centers
The Dillon Crisis and Assessment Center
Contract awarded to Methodist Home for Children
Program has served 23 youth to date
Expansion of the Dillon Project model to Forsyth County (Former Forsyth Detention Center) via contract amendment in November, 2015.
Scheduled to accept juveniles by early March, 2016.
2/11/2016

25. Crisis and Assessment (cont’d)
Development of Western Area Multi-Purpose Group Home at former Buncombe Detention Center
RFP release by April 2016
Contractual award will be made by July 2016
Partnership with County and local stakeholders
Western Multi-Purpose Group Home
2/11/2016

26. Transitional Residential Expansion
2013 – Made permanent the funding stream for the male Craven Transitional Living Home (was originally funded through a grant)
2014 – Made permanent the funding stream for the female North Hills Transitional Living Home
Projected 2016 – At least two (2) more transitional residential programs (Forsyth site identified and Eastern area site being sought)
2/11/2016

27. Juvenile Justice in NC Delinquency Rate
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)
School to Prison Pipeline
Raise the Age

28. Delinquency Rate The delinquency rate dropped every year since 2010.
The juvenile justice system in North Carolina has made great gains in reducing the number of juveniles
who go to court, detention and/or are committed to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Juvenile Justice
Large amount of success can be contributed to the use of Diversion
Based on the knowledge that preventing low risk youth from being placed in secure custody results in better outcomes for the youth and provides for the safety of the community.
If a juvenile is placed in a juvenile justice facility for committing only a minor offense, many experts suggest that this will unnecessarily label and stigmatize the juvenile (internally to self and externally to his/her community/peers), thus making the juvenile more susceptible to committing delinquent or undisciplined acts in the future.
Delinquency Rate
The delinquency rate dropped every year since 2010.
5/4/2019

29. Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)
Key Finding:
Detention RRI have been decreasing over time and is currently at its lowest point since fiscal year
Key Points:
In fiscal year there were 2,325 whites and 6,106 minorities detained.
In fiscal year there were 801 whites and 2,340 minorities in detention.
The percent change in population proportion from fiscal year to was % for minorities and % for whites.
Detained minority youth are declining statistically significantly quicker than detained white youth.
Persistent minority detention may be related to socioeconomic status. Typically, as socioeconomic status decreases, criminal behavior and crime rates increase, along with need factors that may impact detention decisions.
Further research is being conducted on Detention Assessment Tool.
Detentions: Whites: y = x ; Minorities: y = x ; Z = -6.08, p < 0.01
Note that despite elevated RRI scores for Secure Detention and YDC Commitments, the absolute number of
minority youth declined significantly for both secure detention and YDC Commitment from FY to FY
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)
DMC - Change in Statewide Cases with Detention#: Fiscal Years to : Detention RRI has been decreasing over time and is currently at its lowest point since fiscal year

30. Top 10 Juvenile Offenses of 2015
Top 10 Juvenile Offenses in CY 2015
Rank
Offense
# of Complaints 1
Simple Assault
3422 2
Larceny (M)
2274 3
Disorderly Conduct at School
1784 4
Simple Affray
1496 5
Communicating Threats
1107 6
Resisting Public Officer
955 7
Truant < 16 8
Injury to Real Property
953 9
Breaking and or Entering (F)
877 10
Possess Stolen Goods/Property (M)
793
School to Prison Pipeline
#3 for JJ: Disorderly Conduct at School
The difference in our data (#decrease) and DPI data (#increase) is that they are seeing an increase in the older aged juveniles’ offenses and a decrease in the lower aged juvenile offenses.
NOTE: According to DPI School Crime & Violence Annual Report (
The state's overall crime rate in schools increased 1.5 percent from to and 6.6 percent at the high school level. The dropout rate increased 4.8 percent during the same time period.
Reportable crimes were most frequently committed by students who were ninth graders and male. Among ethnic groups in high school, American Indian students had the highest rate of school crimes, followed by black students.
The number of long-term suspensions (11 or more days) for all students declined slightly from 1,088 to 1,085. Average school days per suspension increased from 62.6 to 72.4 school days. High school students received 761 long-term suspensions, a 6.6% increase from
The number of expulsions increased to 42, a 13.5% increase from the 37 reported for High school students received 37 of the 42 expulsions.
High schools in North Carolina reported 11,190 dropouts in The grade 9-13 dropout rate in was 2.39%, up from the 2.28% reported for The increase in the dropout rate was 4.8%.
According to research…
Students more likely than others to be in the school-to-prison pipeline:
Start behind on social and academic skills due to limited enrichment from birth – age 5
Have continued poor academic achievement, often having been retained in at least one grade
Have been raised in a low-income, single-parent household
Have no or limited family history of post-secondary education
More SROs result in more school-related behaviors becoming juvenile and criminal offenses
Top 10 Juvenile Offenses of 2015
School Related Offenses (SROs)
The 3rd highest offense is Disorderly Conduct at School & the 7th highest is Truancy.
School Related Offenses consistently account for approximately 2/3 of all juvenile complaints.

31. Nationwide Juvenile Classifications By Age
Eight states set the age of criminal responsibility at age 17. This leaves North Carolina and one other state—New York—as the only jurisdictions that prosecute both 16- and 17-year olds in adult criminal court. New York’s procedure, however, is much more flexible than North Carolina’s in that it has a reverse waiver provision allowing a youthful offender to petition the court to be tried as a juvenile. While other states have moved to increase juvenile age, North Carolina has not followed suit.
North Carolina data shows that when youthful offenders are prosecuted in the adult system, they recidivate at a rate that is 12.6% higher than the overall population.
North Carolina data is consistent with data nationwide: recidivism rates are higher when juveniles are prosecuted in adult criminal court.
Most NC Youthful Offenders Commit Misdemeanors & Non-Violent Felonies
Consistent with data from other states, stable data shows that only a small number of North Carolina’s 16- and 17-year-olds are convicted of violent felonies. Of the 5, and 17-year olds convicted in 2014, only 187—3.3% of the total—were convicted of violent felonies (Class A-E). The vast majority of these youthful offenders—80.4%—were convicted of misdemeanors. The remaining 16.3% were convicted of non-violent felonies.
Competitive Disadvantage
Recidivism [Targeted Programming]
Parental Involvement
Accountability [Restorative Justice]
Graphic One (Map):
Graphic Two:
Nationwide Juvenile Classifications By Age
Source: raisetheageny.com
Source: campaignforyouthjustice.org
Raise the Age

32. What Science Tells Us About the Brain
Functioning of the frontal lobes is not at adult levels.
Why is that important?
(Steinberg, 2008)

33. Teenage Brain Development
• Adolescence is like giving a teenager a car with:
a new body with a lot of horsepower (physical);
a sensitive gas pedal that can go from 0-60 mph in a few seconds (emotional); and
a brake system that won’t work completely for several years (thinking).

34. Impulsivity Declines with Age
(Steinberg, et.al., 2008)

35. Sensation-seeking Declines with Age
(Steinberg, et.al., 2008)

36. Preferences for Risk Peaks in Mid-Adolescence
(Steinberg, et al., 2009)

37. Risk Perception Declines and then Increases After Mid-Adolescence
(Steinberg, et al., 2009)

38. Future Orientation Increases with Age
(Steinberg, et al., 2009)

39. Older Individuals Are More Willing to Delay Gratification
(Steinberg, et al., 2009)

40. With Age, Longer Time Spent Thinking Before Acting
(Steinberg & Monahan, 2007)

41. With Age, Individuals Become More Resistant to Peer Influence
(Steinberg & Monahan, 2007)

42. Peers Increase Risky Driving among Teenagers and College Students, but Not Adults
(Gardner & Steinberg, 2005)

43. William Lassiter, Deputy Commissioner of Juvenile Justice
CONTACT INFORMATION
William Lassiter, Deputy Commissioner of Juvenile Justice
March 4, 2014
5/4/2019 43