Delaware News


DE Law Enforcement Agencies to Receive Training on Juvenile Civil Citation Program Expansion

News | Date Posted: Thursday, June 6, 2019


Delaware Children's Department logo

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                Contact: Joseph Smack
Thursday, June 6, 2019                                                                                                                      (302) 633-2501 or 893-8930 (m)

Joseph.smack@delaware.gov

Program Designed to Keep Youth from Deeper-end Juvenile Justice Services to Expand July 1st

Georgetown – The Delaware Children’s Department is conducting a training event for Delaware law enforcement officers about the Juvenile Civil Citation Program. The event will be held on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at Delaware Technical & Community College, Georgetown Campus, Carter Partnership Center lecture hall (21179 College Dr. Georgetown DE 19947). The Juvenile Civil Citation Program began in Delaware in late 2015 and is designed to allow juvenile offenders of certain misdemeanor crimes to avoid formal arrest and involvement with the Family Court by allowing law enforcement officers to issue a civil citation. Juvenile offenders are required to do community service hours and complete other goals before being released from the program.

“Before the Civil Citation Program, law enforcement officers had little leeway in handling misdemeanor violations” said Juvenile Civil Citation program manager Donna Pugh, “a juvenile arrest for a relatively minor offense could place the youth on probation with a subsequent arrest for another minor misdemeanor leading to a violation of probation charge and deeper involvement with the justice system. The Juvenile Civil Citation Program greatly alleviates the recidivism rate and helps keeps youth with their families and in their schools and communities.” Pugh concluded.

Training begins at 9:00AM and will feature a panel discussion about the program. The afternoon session will focus on the expansion of misdemeanor offenses that will be eligible effective July 1, 2019.

Since the inception of the Juvenile Civil Citation Program, over 1,000 youth have participated with a 91% completion rate. Residents of Kent and Sussex counties combine for 55% of referrals to the program.

For more information about the Juvenile Civil Citation Program, please visit https://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/juvenile-civil-citation.shtml

The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit https://kids.delaware.gov
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DE Law Enforcement Agencies to Receive Training on Juvenile Civil Citation Program Expansion

News | Date Posted: Thursday, June 6, 2019


Delaware Children's Department logo

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                Contact: Joseph Smack
Thursday, June 6, 2019                                                                                                                      (302) 633-2501 or 893-8930 (m)

Joseph.smack@delaware.gov

Program Designed to Keep Youth from Deeper-end Juvenile Justice Services to Expand July 1st

Georgetown – The Delaware Children’s Department is conducting a training event for Delaware law enforcement officers about the Juvenile Civil Citation Program. The event will be held on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at Delaware Technical & Community College, Georgetown Campus, Carter Partnership Center lecture hall (21179 College Dr. Georgetown DE 19947). The Juvenile Civil Citation Program began in Delaware in late 2015 and is designed to allow juvenile offenders of certain misdemeanor crimes to avoid formal arrest and involvement with the Family Court by allowing law enforcement officers to issue a civil citation. Juvenile offenders are required to do community service hours and complete other goals before being released from the program.

“Before the Civil Citation Program, law enforcement officers had little leeway in handling misdemeanor violations” said Juvenile Civil Citation program manager Donna Pugh, “a juvenile arrest for a relatively minor offense could place the youth on probation with a subsequent arrest for another minor misdemeanor leading to a violation of probation charge and deeper involvement with the justice system. The Juvenile Civil Citation Program greatly alleviates the recidivism rate and helps keeps youth with their families and in their schools and communities.” Pugh concluded.

Training begins at 9:00AM and will feature a panel discussion about the program. The afternoon session will focus on the expansion of misdemeanor offenses that will be eligible effective July 1, 2019.

Since the inception of the Juvenile Civil Citation Program, over 1,000 youth have participated with a 91% completion rate. Residents of Kent and Sussex counties combine for 55% of referrals to the program.

For more information about the Juvenile Civil Citation Program, please visit https://kids.delaware.gov/yrs/juvenile-civil-citation.shtml

The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit https://kids.delaware.gov
###

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.