Members of the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission met Sept. 9-10 and voted on priorities for the 2016 grant cycle in the areas of juvenile justice, criminal justice improvement and crime victim services.
Categories for the 2016 grant proposals include juvenile alternatives to confinement, gang intervention and prevention, cyber-bullying, prescription drug diversion programs, veterans and teen courts, statewide infrastructure and technology, law enforcement equipment, human trafficking prevention, and family justice centers.
Representatives from Buncombe County spoke about their coordinated community response to domestic and sexual violence and child abuse. A new Family Justice Center will open in Asheville in 2016 to give victims access to members of law enforcement, court personnel, medical providers and other support groups at one location. Victims will experience a more efficient process, have a safe and comfortable shelter and find swift justice in punishment for the abusers.
Other presenters at the Commission meeting were Offender Watch, the leading sex offender registry in the country; FBI agents on gangs; and the executive director of the Center for Safer Schools on a new Speak Up app that will allow school students to report bullying, guns, drugs and fighting.
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Mark Martin administered the oath of office to three new members: Justin Brackett of Cleveland County, Joshua Hayes of Alamance County and Larry Procter of Guilford County.
A special award was given to Wesley Clark, former criminal justice planner for the Governor's Crime Commission for 25 years.
The Governor’s Crime Commission’s 44 members make recommendations to the governor and the secretary of the Department of Public Safety on federal grants. The federal block grants are awarded each year to government, education and social service agencies to start new and innovative programs and to continue efforts to reduce crime.