HomeMy WebLinkAboutCriminal Justice Jul 25 2023Whatcom County
Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes - Final
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
11 AM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 11:20 A.M., MAY BEGIN EARLY
(PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Carol Frazey
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final July 25, 2023
Safety Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:45 a.m.
in a hybrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, and Carol Frazey
Also Present: Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, and Kathy Kershner
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2023-465 Report from Juvenile Court
Stephanie Kraft, Juvenile Court Services Manager, read from a presentation
(on file). She answered whether one juvenile probation officer is enough
and whether there is anything the Council can do to help get more mental
health counselors. She stated there is one juvenile probation officer for
diversion but also two juvenile probation officers working with the Becca
Bill, two doing supervision post -adjudication, and two supervising pending
cases. In terms of the mental health support, they had one youth as of last
week that they were looking at as a possibility for participating in the Law
Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and they have been
continuing to have conversations with the Health Department about whether
they can have programs that have wrap around services for teenagers with
the hope that more early intervention would prevent ongoing contact, when
they are adults, with the criminal justice system.
Donovan stated he was struck by the number of juvenile offender filings in
1998 (1,504) compared to the anticipated number this year (160) and how
diversion and advocacy are working for youth.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adiournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m.
"atcom County Page l
Council Criminal Justice and Public Committee Minutes - Final July 25, 2023
Safety Committee
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Whateom County Page 2