§143B-845. Legislative intent

It is the intent of the General Assembly to prevent juveniles who are at risk from becoming delinquent. The primary intent of this Subpart is to develop community-based alternatives to youth development centers and to provide community-based delinquency, substance abuse, and gang prevention strategies and programs. Additionally, it is the intent of the General Assembly to provide noninstitutional dispositional alternatives that will protect the community and the juveniles.

These programs and services shall be planned and organized at the community level and developed in partnership with the State. These planning efforts shall include appropriate representation from local government, local public and private agencies serving juveniles and their families, local business leaders, citizens with an interest in youth problems, youth representatives, and others as may be appropriate in a particular community. The planning bodies at the local level shall be the Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils.

(1998-202, s. 1(b); 2000-137, s. 1(b); 2001-95, s. 5; 2008-56, s. 2; 2011-145, s. 19.1(t), (eee).)