CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Agenda Date: July 19, 2021 Action Required: Report Presenter: Hunter Smith, Human Services Staff Contacts: Hunter Smith, Human Services Kaki Dimock, Human Services Title: Report on Juvenile Justice Probation Reform Process Background: Over a year ago, the 16th District Court Services Unit, together with its partners, including Charlottesville Police Department, Department of Human Services, Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Judge David Barredo, and the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, was awarded one of seven opportunities to participate in a juvenile probation transformation project with the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University, supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Representatives from this multi-agency collaboration, including Opal West, Program Associate Juvenile Justice Strategy Group Center for Systems Innovation with The Annie E. Casey Foundation; Judge David Barredo with the 16th District Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court; Christa Galleo, Probation Supervisor with the 16th District Court Services Unit; Marc Moore, Intake Supervisor with the 16th District Court Services Unit; Martha Carroll, Director of the 16th District Court Services Unit; Jenna Easton, Program Manager with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice; Joey Lewis, Sergeant with the Charlottesville Police Department; Andrew Wilder with the Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office and Hunter Smith, Human Services Planner with the Department of Human Services will be present and will provide a report on progress made to date. Discussion: This is a planned multi-year project with technical assistance and support provided by Annie E. Casey for at least two years. Implementation partners include the original team plus community- based organizations and schools, including Conscious Capitalist Foundation. They are launching two work groups to increase meaningful family engagement and to create increased opportunities for police-initiated system diversions. Focus groups with families and youth involved, or previously involved, in the juvenile justice system are in the planning phases. Equity and family engagement are underlying components throughout the transformation process. The current goals of this project are: Goal 1: Create a statement of purpose for probation and conduct system mapping to identify, create, and expand on and off ramps of the system Goal 2: Improve family engagement Goal 3: Create and implement Restorative Justice Programming at all exit points in the juvenile system Goal 4: Implement new and updated diversion policy within the Police Department Goal 5: Reduce number of technical violations Goal 6: Reduce number of Child in Need of Services/Supervision petitions and cases Community Engagement: The Annie E. Casey Foundation assisted this local team in delivering five interactive learning sessions that outlined the overall need for transformative work around probation, local data driving community partners to engage in this process and what steps are needed to start making positive impacts to our local system. There was an average of 90 participants per session, which included juvenile justice staff and administration, school representation, community partners, service providers and interested citizens including some with lived experience. Workgroups focused on family engagement, reducing technical violations and statement of purpose for probation and expanded diversion practices are currently being developed. Alignment with City Council’s Vision and Strategic Plan: This grant advances the City of Charlottesville’s Strategic Plan goals for inclusivity, self- sufficiency, and community safety. Budgetary Impact: N/A Recommendation: N/A Alternatives: N/A Attachments: PowerPoint presentation