In various parts of the nation, juvenile delinquency appears to be on the ascent; however, this is not the case in Buncombe County. Local luminaries argue that this positive shift is not merely a coincidence or stroke of luck, but rather a result of strategic efforts.
During a recently held Thursday morning meeting, Buncombe County’s Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) gave their stamp of approval to a fresh funding scheme intended for the fiscal years 2025 to 2026. This initiative has a particular focus in mind.
A noticeable pattern has emerged in recent years: overall, there’s a dip in the number of young individuals being directed towards juvenile justice services, yet in Buncombe County, the majority of those who do land in this system are youth perceived as being of low risk but high potential.
Turning to specifics, in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024, 254 young individuals surfaced at juvenile intake, marking a decline from the 385 recorded in the year prior. More striking still, it’s substantially fewer than the 456 reported two years ago.
Statistically speaking, 55% of the assessed youths were identified as posing low risk. This figure suggests a different narrative from the statewide statistics, where only 43% of youth fall into this category.
Moreover, those labelled as very low need account for 57% of the total, contrasting with the state average of 37%. These figures indicate that these youths necessitate a lesser degree of intervention, further reinforcing the notion of their potential.
Additionally, the youth in Buncombe County exhibited an abundance of protective strengths. A remarkable 73% displayed high or very high protective strengths – significantly more than the statewide figure of 55%.
Yet, notwithstanding these positive trends, the situation is not devoid of hurdles. The data paints a stark picture for youths of Black and Brown ethnicities who continue to receive a disproportionate number of complaints.
Drawing from demographics and existing data, these communities represent 25% of the youth population yet make up a staggering 67% of all referrals, indicating an evident disparity in the way these issues are addressed.
The rate at which complaints are filed against Black youth, in particular, is six times greater than matching statistics for their white counterparts. What’s even more alarming is that this is not a steady statistic, but has shown a concerning increase, doubling from three times the rate in the previous year.
Upon recognising this pressing issue, JCPC has pledged to tackle it head-on, demonstrating their commitment to equitable treatment and justice for all young individuals in the county.