Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council gets nod to start again

As Plumas County Probation chiefs came and went, somehow the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC) got overlooked.

Probation Chief Erin Metcalf requested approval for the council’s start up once again at the Plumas County Board of Supervisors meeting Sept. 3.

In a resolution, supervisors agreed that the JJCC, in accordance with the county’s Welfare and Institutions Code, begin again.

Metcalf told the board that with the assistance of Nancy DaForno, clerk of the board, she tried to research why JJCC was dropped. Finally she decided that it was better to move forward with a proposal.

JJCC is comprised of Metcalf as chair of the board, and a representative from the District Attorney’s Office, someone from the Public Defender’s Office, the Sheriff’s Department, a supervisor and a member each from the Department of Social Services and Behavioral Health.

It would also include a community-based drug and alcohol program representative and someone from the Plumas County Office of Education. A community at large representative and someone from the city of Portola law enforcement could also be appointed (the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office has a contract with the city of Portola to manage law enforcement services).

“The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council was established so that the county would be eligible to apply for grant funding under the Juvenile Crime Enforcement and Accountability Challenge Grant Program,” Metcalf explained.

JJCC was originally established by the state under the Crime Prevention Act of 2000.