The Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) is a 24 hour 7day a week processing facility for arrested youth.  The facility became fully operational in 1997.  Since its inception a total of 121,918 cases were processed through the JAC.  It is one of the components of the Juvenile Services Department (JSD).

 

The below outline is a detailed account of what occurs when an arrested juvenile is processed at the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC).

 

Arrest Process

• The law enforcement officer(s) safely and securely transport the individual to the JAC.
• Upon arrival, the officer and arrested youth meet with JAC staff to conduct an intake, screening, and assessment process.
• The youth is interviewed as to whether he/she is in any state of immediate crisis, has any complaint of pain or injury, or if he/she has a medical condition which needs immediate attention.
• If the child has any injury or complaint of injury, the arresting officer is required to seek and ensure the appropriate level of emergency health care or first aide is administered.  Once appropriate clearances are obtained, if needed, the youth is admitted to the facility.

 

Admissions Process

• All youth are “frisked searched” for weapons and contraband, to prevent the introduction of these items into the facility.  Additionally, all personal property, e.g., jewelry, book bags, pens, pencils, etc., are removed and placed into safe and secured storage.
• Staff makes immediate notification to family members advising youth’s family of his/her whereabouts.
• The law enforcement officer provides the arrest information to staff, which enters the information into the youth’s permanent record.
• All youth are fingerprinted and photographed and a complete and comprehensive criminal history background is conducted.
• All youth sit in a large assessment area, separated by gender, waiting processing by the Juvenile Services Specialist (JSS) counselors. 
• The process may take upwards of six to eight hours, depending on the severity of charge, the number of youth in custody, and 24 detention hearing court calendar mandates.
• When the JSS processing is completed, the youth are either released to parents, legal guardian, responsible and shelter or held in secure detention pending the 24 hour detention court hearing.

 

Services Provided:

• Each youth is screened and assessed in an environment that adheres to all of the confidentiality guidelines set forth by Florida law
• The screening and assessment tools are designed to identify the following: Detention Status Risk to re-offend Substance Abuse and Mental Issues Diversion eligibility 
• Once the screening and assessment tools are completed, appropriate referrals are made to programs that are designed to meet the youth’s individual needs.
• Specific time and care is administered with each youth to ensure that the youth and his or her family receive the most comprehensive service available
• One of many of the services provided is referrals to the appropriate diversionary programs.  Diversion eligible youth are referred to one of the following diversionary programs: PAD, JASS, JASP, IDDS and YOP, see Clinical Case-management Component for details on these programs.
• A seamless process exists, that funnels the referrals to the State Attorney’s Officer for approval and back to the Juvenile Services Department Diversion component.