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What is the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC)?
The New Hanover County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council was created by the North Carolina General Assembly to assess the needs of juveniles in the community, evaluate the performance of juvenile services and programs, and increase public awareness of the causes of delinquency and strategies to reduce the problem.
The strategy of the JCPC is to develop a community-focused, research-based approach to treating the needs of juveniles at risk of delinquency by providing funds for treatment, counseling or rehabilitation for juveniles and their families.
The JCPC, consisting of 26 members, must reflect the racial and socioeconomic diversity of the community, and should include various members of public service administration, private sector and community leaders.
Community Programs Currently Funded:
Youth Empowerment Services - Community Service and Restitution
Community Services and Restitution (CSR), focuses on crime prevention, reduction of criminal behavior, civic learning and social responsibility. The overall purpose of the CSR proram is to facilitate juveniles completing their court ordered and/or court diverted obligations sucessfully and in a timely manner while teaching, modeling and encouraging civic, community and social responsibility to the youth we serve, ages 6-17. Currently there are over 20 approved CSR worksites.
Youth Empowerment Services - Juvenile Psychological Services
Juvenile Psychological Services (JPS) staff conducts psychological evalutations, comprehensive clinical assessments, sex offender specific evaluations, and psychosexual risk assessments to provide appropriate diagnoses, behavioral/mental health treatment, and placement recommendations to primarily court involved youth, ages 6-17. JPS staff also provides consultation services to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Deliquency Prevention court counselors related to the implementation of behavioral health treatment recommendations and onsite suicidal risk assessments/crisis management.
Youth Empowerment Services - Vocational and Educational Development Center
The Vocational and Educational Development Center (VEDC) is a programmatically structured center with an equivalent focus on education and behavior management to promote and influence positive change within the middle and high school youth served, ages 12-17. VEDC utilizes the Positive Behavior Intervention & Support (PBIS) behavior management program. VEDC also serves as a step down program for youth that are exiting from a higher level of care/placement such as a Youth Development Center to assist them to transition back to a lesser restrictive environment and then back to the public school setting in a more successfull manner.
Teen Court
This is an alternative system of justice for New Hanover and Pender County High School students. It is a diversionary court that keeps first-time juvenile offenders out of the court system.
For additional information on JCPC's go to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention web site. |