Criminal Justice Alternatives

Capital Area Teen Court operates as a first-offender peer-managed misdemeanor court, the judge of which is either an elected district court judge or a practicing attorney. The juvenile offender is sentenced by a jury of peers during the court hearing. The court teaches accountability, consequences and practical experiential learning about the mechanics of misdemeanor sentencing and legal processes as it relates to first offender juvenile defendants. Successful completion of the court-ordered sanctions results in complete dismissal and expungement of all charges brought to the Teen Court. Capital Area Teen Court defendants may be sentenced to the Youth Development Group as a possible sanction for the offense that was ordered at their Teen Court hearing. The Youth Development Group provides various skill-based educational experiences, pro-social group interactions, and an array of other hands-on activities to address communication, respect for authority, and appropriate decision-making. The group has between six (6) to ten (10) youth. It is offered for twelve (12), one and one half (1 1/2) hour sessions, twice a week, with parents attending the first and last sessions. The group is led by two adult professionally-trained, expert staff.

The Pretrial Services/Monitoring Program provides pertinent information to the First Appearance District Court judge at the person's first appearance court hearing after being arrested and booked into the Wake County jail. The information includes prior criminal history, need for special conditions (e.g. no contact for domestic violence offenders, mental health history/needs, physical health history/needs) that are relevant for release considerations. Pretrial Services staff verifies the defendant's information with an uninvolved reference person suggested by the defendant. The Program allows certain defendants to be monitored in the community at minimal cost to the county, work to support themselves and their families while they are waiting for the Court case to be resolved.All offenders who are ordered to the Pretrial Release Program must report to their case manager on the next business day following their release from jail custody. The person is required to appear at all scheduled court dates, contact their assigned case manager (or designee) weekly on a specific day, and not be arrested for any additional charges. Additionally, they must comply with all pretrial release conditions ordered by the judge and keep the case manager informed of any changes of residence. Pretrial Services Program staff request revocation of pretrial release if the offender does not comply with the contact schedule or if the offender obtains new charges or violates any of the conditions set by the court while on pretrial release. Should any of the aforementioned situations arise, an order is written by the court and the defendant is rearrested and returned to the jail custody.