FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Four Cumberland County leaders have been selected for a national juvenile justice initiative. Five counties were chosen from across the nation for the National Association of Counties (NACo) County Juvenile Justice Innovation Network (CJJIN). The initiative recognizes the important role counties play in coordinating a continuum of care to address the needs of youth, with a focus on youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
Cumberland County leaders selected for the initiative are:
- Cumberland County Misdemeanor Diversion Program/Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Coordinator Nichelle Gaines (Justice Services)
- Cumberland County District Court Judge Tiffany Whitfield
- North Carolina Department of Public Safety Chief Court Counselor Jason Hunter
- The Group Theory CEO Kevin Brooks
Gaines, Whitfield, Hunter and Brooks will participate in a nine-month peer learning experience, which will include discussions with national and local subject matter experts, visits to successful programs in peer communities and sessions on program and policy changes that improve youth outcomes.
“Being selected for this cohort is important because it will help ensure the practices and programs the county invests in encourage positive youth development, preserve public safety, and reduce overall costs,” said Gaines. “Cumberland County’s goal is to create a convening body for youth service system leaders and practitioners to coordinate, identify gaps in services and build equitable and sustainable solutions.”
The County Juvenile Justice Innovation Network is designed to leverage the unique position of counties, which operate at the intersection of youth-serving systems such as juvenile justice, education, child welfare and other human service systems. Participating counties will work with cross-system teams to examine the continuum of care spanning youth service systems, establish shared goals to improve youth outcomes, and develop action plans responsive to local needs.
The culminating action plan will result from collaboration between local government agencies and youth programming.
To view all counties selected to participate in CJJIN and learn more about the initiative, click here.