Juvenile Justice

The intent of the Youth Justice unit is to provide supervision and support services with juvenile delinquents and their families, focusing on community protection, accountability, and to equip youth with competencies to live responsibly. Services are provided for youth who are alleged to have committed a delinquent act, who are in need of protection or services for uncontrollable behavior or have been habitually truant from school.

An individualized assessment determines the strengths and needs of the juvenile. Recommendations are made in the best interest of the community and of the juvenile for care and treatment. These recommendations are intended to equip and encourage juveniles to live responsibly, and when possible, divert them from future involvement in the system.

The Youth Justice social workers provide custody intake decisions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sometimes emergency situations arise which require a social worker to make a determination as to whether a child needs to be held in physical custody because of allegations of serious law violation, or abuse or neglect.