Boone County News Release

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Boone County Chosen to Participate in Juvenile Justice Initiative

March 13, 2024 – Boone County has been chosen as one of five counties nationwide to participate in an initiative on juvenile justice facilitated by the National Association of Counties (NACo). The NACo County Juvenile Justice Innovation Network (CJJIN) aims to increase the practical understanding and capacity of counties to address the needs of youth involved in their local juvenile justice systems by leveraging the unique position of counties, which operate at the intersection of youth-serving systems such as juvenile justice, education, child welfare, and other human service systems.

Through a nine-month period, core teams of four individuals representing each county will engage both virtually and in-person to share challenges and successes; learn from national and local experts; and exchange ideas to achieve program and policy change that empowers and improves youth outcomes. The core team members representing Boone County are Tara Eppy, Superintendent of the Robert L. Perry Juvenile Justice Center; Jerrell Morton, YouthBuild Director of Job Point; Joanne Nelson, Director of Boone County Community Services Department; and Janet Thompson, Boone County District II Commissioner.

As a participating county, the Boone County core team will work with representatives from multiple organizations and agencies to examine the continuum of care that spans youth service systems; establish shared goals to improve youth outcomes; and develop an action plan responsive to local needs. This culminating action plan will be the result of collaboration among the Boone County Commission, the Boone County Community Services Department, the 13th Judicial Circuit, Job Point, FACE (Family Access Center for Excellence), all Boone County schools, other community partners, and the youth served and affected by the juvenile justice system.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in this initiative,” said Eppy. “We look forward to using the knowledge we gain to address concerns we have for the youth we serve across the continuum of care.”

Boone County’s participation in this initiative will support its commitment to reducing the Relative Rate Index (RRI), which measures racial and ethnic disparities across different decision points within the juvenile justice system, specifically focusing on the rate at which youth enter the juvenile justice system and remain involved with it. It will also support Boone County’s commitment to providing safe and appropriate facilities for youth detainees by ensuring that the facility meets physical safety needs for both youth and staff. It will also help Boone County provide evidence-based programming and services to youth so they can successfully navigate their return to the community.

Finally, in conjunction with Boone County’s plan to embed a re-entry navigator into its adult detention facility, Boone County also recognizes the critical need for a similar coordination of services and supports for youth transitioning from the juvenile justice system back into the community. The opportunities provided by CJJIN to work with other counties and national and local experts will provide enormous benefits to Boone County and its citizens.

To learn more about the County Juvenile Justice Innovation Network initiative, click here.

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