GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1418

Short Title:  Juvenile Justice Pilot Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Richardson; Spears, DeVane, Black, Fitch, McAllister, and Kinney.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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May 17, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTER TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE ACTS OF VIOLENCE COMMITTED BY JUVENILES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Administrative Office of the Courts the sum of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, for the Cumberland County Dispute Resolution Center.  These funds shall be matched by non-State funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
(b)	The Administrative Office of the Courts shall distribute the funds in quarterly payments beginning July 1993, and ending April 1995.  The Cumberland County Dispute Resolution Center shall provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with quarterly reports as to the expenditure of funds and relevant statistical data.
(c)	The Cumberland County Dispute Resolution Center shall develop and implement the following programs to meet the objectives of this act:
(1)	Development and implementation of a "Teen Court" Program for the 12th Judicial District of North Carolina.  Juveniles admitted to the offense in question shall be diverted to "Teen Court" to be sentenced by a jury of their peers.  Sentences shall include extensive amounts of counseling and community service;
(2)	" Teen Court" made available to all junior and senior high schools in the 12th Judicial District to handle problems that develop at school but that have not been turned over to the juvenile authorities;
(3)	Alternative sentencing programs implemented and made available to the juvenile court judges, including house arrest -monitored telephone curfew-Victim-Offender Reconciliation Programs (VORP), and mediation referrals;
(4)	School-based mediation programs made available to schools within the 12th Judicial District, with students being trained as peer mediators and with teachers and administrators being trained in conflict resolution and mediation; and 
(5)	Curriculum supplements to the standard course of study made available to educators to teach conflict resolution and related topics to all students.
(d)	The Cumberland County Dispute Resolution Center shall report annually to the appropriate committees of the General Assembly as to the effectiveness of the programs.  Additional reports will be to the Administrative Office of the Courts and to officials of the 12th Judicial District.
(e)  Upon completion of the three-year pilot program, the Cumberland County Dispute Resolution Center shall assist other judicial districts in establishing similar juvenile justice programs.
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.