North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Prevent. Protect. Prepare.

Pat McCrory, Governor
Frank L. Perry, Secretary

MEMORANDUM

TO: Chairs of House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety
Chairs of Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Justice and Public Safety

FROM: Frank L. Perry, Secretary
W. David Guice, Commissioner

RE: Alternatives to Commitment Report

DATE: March 1, 2015

Pursuant to S.L. 2005-276, 16.11(c), The Division of Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety shall report to the Senate and House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittees on Justice and Public Safety no later than March 1, 2006, and annually thereafter, on the results of the alternatives to commitment demonstration programs funded by Section 16.7 of S.L. 2004-124. The 2007 report and all annual reports thereafter shall also include projects funded by Section 16.11 of S.L. 2005-276 for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. Specifically, the report shall provide a detailed description of each of the demonstration programs, including the numbers of juveniles served, their adjudication status at the time of service, the services/treatments provided, the length of service, the total cost per juvenile, and the six- and 12-month recidivism rates for the juveniles after the termination of program services. (1998-202, s. 1(b); 2000-137, s. 1(b); 2005-276, s. 16.11(c); 2011-145, s. 19.1(l), (x), (ggg).)

Alternatives to Commitment Programs

Annual Evaluation Report
March 2015

Session Law 2004-124, Section 16.7

Submitted by:
Department of Public Safety
Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Community Programs Section

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report is required by Session Law 2004-124, Section 16.7 to provide alternatives to juvenile commitment services through the Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils. This report focuses on the youth served in programs for FY 2013-2014 that delivered services to youth in Level III disposition (commitment), youth in Level II disposition (intermediate) who were at risk of a Level III disposition, and youth reentering the community after youth development center commitment (post-release supervision). In FY 2013-2014, the General Assembly allocated $750,000 for these services.

Statewide, the Alternatives to Commitment Programs delivered somewhat similar intensive case management services that “wrapped services around” the juvenile and family. Typical services included home-based family counseling, individual counseling, tutoring, interpersonal skill-building, behavior management and cognitive behavior training. Projects coordinated a 24 hour a day, 7 days per week adult supervision plan for each Level III youth. Program providers and court counselors supported and planned for youth as they integrated into the community. The programs also managed referrals to a variety of other community services including such education programs as structured day, after-school programming, and tutoring. On occasion, court counselors used electronic monitoring as a support for supervision of youth.

Alternatives to Commitment Programs served 117 youth and exits from the programs totaled 88 during FY 2013-2014. Of the 88 youth who exited the programs in FY 2013-2014, 73 youth completed the program meeting the goals of the program with a high or acceptable level of participation and achievement of behavior improvement goals.

For FY 2013-2014, the average annual cost (based on actual expenditures) per youth in Alternatives to Commitment Programs was $5,632 while the average annual cost per youth in a youth development center was $127,210.

This report is in response to the legislation and provides a description of the programs, the number of youth served, their adjudication status at the time of service, services and treatments provided, the length of service, the total cost per youth, and the six (6) and twelve (12) month recidivism rates for youth after the termination of program services. In this report, data support the need for the continued development and delivery of Alternatives to Commitment Programs at the local level to addresses unmet gaps in the continuum of services within the communities.