New Hanover Juvenile Detention Center

1. New Hanover Juvenile Detention Center 3830 Juvenile Center Rd. Castle Hayne, NC 28429 Patricia Stocks (910) 675-0594

2. Their Mission Statement Our mission is . . . To recruit, retain and develop a diverse, productive competent workforce that effectively supports the overall mission of the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. We will strive to put the �human� in the human resources; enabling all or employees to stay focused on youth.

3. Our guiding principles . . . Communication which is effective, open and meaningful and constant. Partnership with managers, employees, other agencies and each other. Customer Service which provides timely, accurate and useful information and support. Integrity in providing service that is confidential, exemplifies professionalism and promotes compliance with law and policy.

4. Brief Facts and History The New Hanover Juvenile Detention Center was built in 1972. The center takes juveniles between the ages of 10 and 16. There are 18 cells in this facility but we normally can room more than 18 individuals by putting 2 or three juveniles in one cell. Sex offenders, violent offenders, and at risk youths are not to have roommates.

5. Tasks I completed . . . Made bulletin boards Kitchen duty Room checks Room searches Complete judge reports Answered the phone Laundry Hung out with juveniles in the dayroom during their free time Suicide watch/Administrative watch Completed a suicide workshop

6. Bulletin Boards and Hang Out Time I made two bulletin boards: one in the control room and one in the dayroom. The kids colored Easter eggs and two tall male juveniles helped to put up the bulletin boards. I taught some of the juveniles the card game �Spit� and started a small tournament among a few of the juveniles.

7. Room Checks and Searches Room checks are to be done every 15 minutes (you have to at least lift the flap to check on the juvenile). The �wand� (as the staff calls it) is used to record what each juvenile is doing during the room check There is a paper record of where all the juveniles are every 15 minutes also. For example: 3 secured, 14 in dayroom, and 1 in court Room searches are to be done twice a week. Every room is checked for contraband and to see if it is clean. The juveniles beds must be made and they can only have what is allowed in their (no trash, hardback books, or pens/pencils) A small mirror on a rod is used to check the window sill for contraband.

8. Suicide/Administrative Watch Juveniles on Suicide Alert should be checked every 10 minutes while juveniles on Suicide Watch should be watch at all times. Both juveniles on suicide watch/alert have to have their behavior monitored and recorded every 10 minutes. Juveniles are placed on Suicide Alert/Watch depending on their rating on the suicide inventory during intake. Juveniles can also be placed on Suicide Watch if the staff notices suicidal behavior or threats. Juveniles can be placed on Administrative Watch if they have been given a major infraction by one of the staff members. A major infraction might be getting into a fight with another juvenile or a member of the staff, any gang related activity, sexual misconduct, or even something as minor as spitting on someone. These juveniles also have to be checked every 10 minutes and their behavior is to be recorded. After three days of being in isolation they are allowed to come off administrative watch as long as they have good.

9. Suicide Workshop There was a required workshop that all interns, volunteers, and anyone else associated with the juvenile detention center had to attend. We learned: what constituted �suicidal behavior� what staff was required to do if we suspected a juvenile was going to attempt suicide what to do if a juvenile did commit or tried to commit suicide what kind of people were at risk of being suicidal statistics on suicide/attempted suicide and substance abuse

10. Kitchen Duty . . . . Make 2 pitchers of Kool-Aid Make 1 pitcher of ice water Make the trays for the juveniles that have to eat in their rooms Make the plates for the other juveniles Lay out the silverware, napkins, condiments and drinks Sometimes wash, dry or put away dishes

11. Judge Reports When the list of juveniles going to court the next day has been finalized, I pull their charts. There is a form I fill out with their basic information and their behavior since they have been in the detention center or since the last time they have been in court. I make copies for their chart and then put the judge report in an envelope with their name on it.

12. Intake Process First there is a strip search of the juvenile where 2 members of the staff of the same sex as the juvenile must be present. Next the juveniles are to shower and get into their uniform while staff sets of his/her cell and makes the intake folder. The clothes the juvenile was wearing when he came in are washed then bagged up with the rest of their belongings. A member of staff sits down with the juvenile and makes him/her sign papers pertaining to HIV information, the rules/consequences, and what property was given to him. Suicide assessment is completed by the juvenile and if he/she should be placed on suicide watch/alert the on call psychiatrist is called or paged and must come to the detention center within the next 48 hours.

13. Would I Recommend This Site . . . . ? It depends on: if you are interested in corrections or the juvenile justice system if you like kids if you have a lot of patience/emotional strength if don�t have a problem with working hands on with kids that have psychological disorders and have committed some serious offenses