The Florida Senate

985.414  County juvenile justice councils.--

(1)(a)  A county juvenile justice council is authorized in each county for the purpose of encouraging the initiation of, or supporting ongoing, interagency cooperation and collaboration in addressing juvenile crime.

(b)  A county juvenile justice council must include:

1.  The district school superintendent, or the superintendent's designee.

2.  The chair of the board of county commissioners, or the chair's designee.

3.  An elected official of the governing body of a municipality within the county.

4.  Representatives of the local school system including administrators, teachers, school counselors, and parents.

5.  The district juvenile justice manager and the district administrator of the Department of Children and Family Services, or their respective designees.

6.  Representatives of local law enforcement agencies, including the sheriff or the sheriff's designee.

7.  Representatives of the judicial system including, but not limited to, the chief judge of the circuit, the state attorney, the public defender, the clerk of the circuit court, or their respective designees.

8.  Representatives of the business community.

9.  Representatives of any other interested officials, groups, or entities including, but not limited to, a children's services council, public or private providers of juvenile justice programs and services, students, and advocates.

A juvenile delinquency and gang prevention council or any other group or organization that currently exists in any county, and that is composed of and open to representatives of the classes of members described in this section, may notify the district juvenile justice manager of its desire to be designated as the county juvenile justice council.

(2)(a)  The purpose of a county juvenile justice council is to provide a forum for the development of a community-based interagency assessment of the local juvenile justice system, to develop a county juvenile justice plan for more effectively preventing juvenile delinquency, and to make recommendations for more effectively utilizing existing community resources in dealing with juveniles who are truant or have been suspended or expelled from school, or who are found to be involved in crime. The county juvenile justice plan shall include relevant portions of local crime prevention and public safety plans, school improvement and school safety plans, and the plans or initiatives of other public and private entities within the county that are concerned with dropout prevention, school safety, the prevention of juvenile crime and criminal activity by youth gangs, and alternatives to suspension, expulsion, and detention for children found in contempt of court.

(b)  The duties and responsibilities of a county juvenile justice council include, but are not limited to:

1.  Developing a county juvenile justice plan based upon utilization of the resources of law enforcement, the school system, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Children and Family Services, and others in a cooperative and collaborative manner to prevent or discourage juvenile crime and develop meaningful alternatives to school suspensions and expulsions.

2.  Entering into a written county interagency agreement specifying the nature and extent of contributions each signatory agency will make in achieving the goals of the county juvenile justice plan and their commitment to the sharing of information useful in carrying out the goals of the interagency agreement to the extent authorized by law. The interagency agreement must include as parties, at a minimum, local school authorities or representatives, local law enforcement agencies, state attorneys, public defenders, and local representatives of the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Children and Family Services. The agreement must specify how community entities will cooperate, collaborate, and share information to achieve the goals of the county juvenile justice plan.

3.  Applying for and receiving public or private grants, to be administered by one of the community partners, that support one or more components of the county juvenile justice plan.

4.  Designating the county representatives to the district juvenile justice board pursuant to s. 985.413.

5.  Providing a forum for the presentation of interagency recommendations and the resolution of disagreements relating to the contents of the county interagency agreement or the performance by the parties of their respective obligations under the agreement.

6.  Assisting and directing the efforts of local community support organizations and volunteer groups in providing enrichment programs and other support services for clients of local juvenile detention centers.

7.  Providing an annual report and recommendations to the district juvenile justice board, the Juvenile Justice Accountability Board, and the district juvenile justice manager.

History.--s. 74, ch. 97-238; s. 31, ch. 98-207; s. 142, ch. 99-3.