GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	1 

SENATE BILL 813

Short Title:  Study Minority Juvenile Commitment.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Senators Lucas, Ballance, Lee, Dannelly, Martin of Guilford, Jordan, Shaw of Cumberland, Kinnaird, Wellons, Cooper, Perdue, Gulley; Carrington, Dalton, Miller, Reeves, Soles, and Warren.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Appropriations/Base Budget.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

April 12, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE A STATE STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE EXISTS AN OVERREPRESENTATION OF MINORITY YOUTH IN NORTH CAROLINA TRAINING SCHOOLS AND TO CONSIDER STATEWIDE DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVES AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  North Carolina Central University, in conjunction with its Department of Sociology, shall conduct a study on the overrepresentation of minority youth in North Carolina training schools.  In conducting the study, the University shall:
(1)	Compile and analyze data of training school commitments for the years 1991 to 1998, including data of the race, age, gender, and level of offense of all juveniles committed to training schools in all 100 counties of the State during those years;
(2)	Survey all programs throughout the State that serve as prevention programs and alternatives to commitment for juveniles adjudicated delinquent in order to analyze the impact these programs have in deterring minority youth commitment;
(3)	Assess the availability and accessibility of prevention programs and programs that serve as alternatives to commitment to minority and at-risk youth in all 100 counties of the State; and
(4)	Test data for variables contributing to minority youth overrepresentation in State training schools.
Section 2.  North Carolina Central University shall present its findings, including policy recommendations and legislative proposals, to the Office of Juvenile Justice and the General Assembly on or before May 1, 2000.
Section 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year for North Carolina Central University to conduct the study authorized in Section 1 of this act.
Section 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1999.