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PROGRAM NARRATIVE
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<br />Briefly describe what the program expects to achieve and why. ~It a minimum, the narrative shouM include the following information:
<br />(l) Identify the staff and their responsibilities to the program,
<br />(2) describe the physical facilities in which the services will be delivered, (3) discuss any areas of concern that couM affect the
<br />success of the program (dj discuss why these resources used in the manner described should be expected to alter inappropriate
<br />behavior, (5) describe the referral, screening and admission procedures, (6) describe the means of wor£ing with youth and families,
<br />(7) describe the daily program activities and, (8) describe the termination procedures.
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<br />The Cabarrus County Mediation Center, Inc., ( CCMC ), is a 50 I(c)(3) agency which is governed by a Board of Directors. It began as
<br />a project of the Cabarrus County lnteragency Council in 1992 and opened in July of 1996. The CCMC is a member oft.he Mediation
<br />Network of NC. In addition to offering mediation sessions, facilitated primarily by trained volunteers, the CCMC provides conflict
<br />resolution training for businesses, groups, and individuals. Most of the mediation sessions are for court-referred, misdemeanor
<br />criminal cases for offenses such as trespass, simple assault, communicating threats, and property damage. Sessions are also provided
<br />on a self-referred basis for conflicts involving family members, neighbors and friends. Since its opening, the CCMC has consistently
<br />maintained a resolution rate of 90% or above for cases/situatious actually mediated. The CCMC receives or has received funding from
<br />a variety of sources such as: a yearly legislative appropriation monitored by the AOC for general operating expenses, a grant fi.om the
<br />Cannon Foundation, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Cabarrus County Community Foundation, and contributions from Philip Morris,
<br />USA, the Cabarrus County Law Enforcement Officers' Association, local attorneys and other individuals, as well as, fees for conflict
<br />resolution-related trainings. The CCMC has recently been notified that the application for partial funding for Teen Court through a
<br />legislative appropriation monitored by the AOC and has been approved. Application has also been made to the Cabarrns County
<br />Community Foundation for some of the printing and supply costs of Teen Court/Resolve.
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<br />The staff of the CCMC consists of a full-time Executive Director with a BA in Sociology, ten years of experience with various public
<br />service agencies, including the Mecklenburg and Cabarrus County Departments of Social Services, as well as, over six years of
<br />experience in working with troubled youth and their families as a Juvenile Court Counselor, and I & I/2 years of experience as a
<br />trained mediator. A part-time Community Relations Coordinator handles volunteer recruitment and training duties, sets up customized
<br />training for businesses and groups, has a BA in Business Administration, worked for three years with United Way of the Central
<br />Carolinas, and is a trained mediator. The CCMC has trained approximately 26 volunteer mediators and several of the board members
<br />are mediators. A Teen Court & Youth Services Coordinator will be hired to coordinate the development and implementation of Teen
<br />Court & Resolve ( see attached job description ). Plans are to also hire clerical help to split duties between mediation services and
<br />youth-related services and to hire a Mediation Case Coordinator.
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<br />Due in part to changes in state laws and local school boards' policies, there has been an increase over the past decade in the number of
<br />juveniles coming in contact with the juvenile system and/or being suspended from school and an increase in the number of younger
<br />juveniles being petitioned through Juvenile Services, charged, or suspended from school. Several years ago, state law changed to
<br />require that schools report certain offenses to local law enforcement agencies. Many schools have adopted a "zero tolerance" policy
<br />for school policy violations, many of which are also criminal in nature, such as, assaults and communicating threats. Combined with
<br />the changes in the state laws, "zero tolerance" policies, and the relatively recent change in the local school attendance policy which
<br />imposed block scheduling, more young people have come into contact with the judicial system and/or been suspended fi.om school for
<br />misbehaviors and truancy issues. People in our society are now more prone to either resorting to violence to settle conflicts or to use
<br />the judicial system to settle conflicts which are often the result of family problems, and neighborhood or school conflicts. Many
<br />parents/custodians are looking for assistance in learning to communicate better with their children and enhance family cohesiveness.
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<br />Since its inception, the CCMC has operated by a mission which has a dual focus. The mission encompasses the provision of mediation
<br />services for the community, in the form of mediation sessions, and the provision of training and education for the public in ways to
<br />resolve conflicts in a mutually satisfactory manner without the use of the court system. In keeping with its mission; the CCMC Board
<br />has voted to implement a Teen Court and Resolve Program. The philosophical basis for extending these services to the community's
<br />youth is that of early intervention into the lives of youth who are exhibiting negative behaviors and attitudes and to capitalize upon the
<br />positive effects of peer pressure in doing so. Teen Court will provide a one-time opportunity for the diversion fi'om the traditional
<br />court system for certain first-time misdemeanant or status offenders who are age 11-16. At a later date and based upon any enacted
<br />changes in the General Statures as they pertain to juveniles, the CCMC may consider extending the age requirements. This program
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