DJJDP Releases 2010 Annual Report

The North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention takes great pride in the release of the 2010 Annual Report. This report details supporting data of juvenile crime decreasing in the State of North Carolina. Data further reveals the rate of delinquency complaints filed dropped to a 12-year low. This phenomenal confirmation of the Department's work is a notable milestone. Other departmental updates include: evidence of success related to Quality Treatment Services, Re-establishing Career Technical Education Programming, and accountability through Peer Reviews.

Secretary Linda Hayes stated, "The 2010 report gives us further confirmation of the relevance of the Department's mission and service to the citizens. We are proud of the exceptional work of our employees who put the Department's vision, mission, and goals into service each and every day. The steady decline of juvenile delinquency complaints and corresponding trends reported this year, are the results of a culmination of efforts. While the Department's employees are the foundation of our comprehensive system, the partnerships with national, state, and county entities, our Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils, and community support -- all work in concert to create a continuum of service producing comprehensive care. All of these valuable components create an efficient, integrated juvenile justice system. We take this opportunity to thank and express our appreciation to all of our staff and partners as we continue our work toward creating safer communities and more positive youth."

This year's Annual Report reviews the implementation of expectations and standards, evidence-supported programs, and effective solutions. With a year of Continuous Quality Management (CQM) implemented, evaluation of effectiveness and accountability remains a priority for the Department. A particular area of interest is in the Division of Court Services with Peer Reviews that began in July 2010 and continues. In the first six months of the process, over two hundred juvenile court counselors have been trained as peer reviewers and have examined 1,056 client records in fifteen judicial districts serving forty-seven counties. These reviews have revealed helpful strategies for process changes that are helping to create efficiencies while discovering effective service and treatment options for the youth in the Department's care.

2010 was also the inaugural year of NC ALLIES (A Local Link to Improve Effective Services). This powerful tool will allow the Department to collect more information on juveniles served by the 604 Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) programs and track effectiveness of services. With the added improvement of an on-line submission process, this cost saving improvement will permit more resources to go into direct services for youth.

Click here for full report.