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Hayes relies on county JCPC partners DJJDP secretary lauds county officials' efforts to help educate legislators on importance of state funding
 As one of its initiatives, the NCACC strategic goals team charged with "enhancing the state-county relationship through effective communication and the development of a working partnership" is interviewing members of Governor Beverly Perdue's Cabinet and Council of State. In late July, NCACC Intergovernmental Relations Director Rebecca Troutman and Accounting Technician Kelly Brown met with Linda Hayes, who in January 2009 was appointed secretary for the N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP). Hayes previously served 15 years as chair of the Governor's Crime Commission, where she also chaired the Commission's Juvenile Justice Planning Committee. How has your professional experience prepared you to lead the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and what specific strengths do you bring to the role of secretary? As a longtime resident in Harnett County, Secretary Hayes – mother to three daughters – said she became a tutor in the county's public schools in addition to other community and volunteer activities. She quickly realized that many of her pupils didn't have the parental guidance or oversight that others enjoyed. Her husband, a criminal defense attorney, likewise lamented the lack of community services and options for juveniles in lieu of commitment to juvenile delinquency facilities. When looking to fill the "private citizen" slot on the Governor's Crime Commission, Governor Jim Hunt asked Hayes for her service, noting that she would represent the community at-large without direct ties to the criminal justice community. Linda was also assigned membership to the Commission's Juvenile Justice Planning Committee, charged with developing resources for youths who are at-risk of becoming delinquent and services for youths who are delinquent, undisciplined or involved in the juvenile court process from intake through aftercare. Commission membership highlighted all of the interrelated and intergovernmental components of the criminal justice system – not just juvenile justice but also victims, the need for information technology, courts, local and state law enforcement, and the system's federal partners. After several years of serving on the Commission, Hayes was appointed by Governor Hunt as chair of the Commission. She retained her position as chair of the JJPC. Both roles offered a regional and national perspective, since she met with North Carolina's Congressional delegation and with counterparts in other states. Given her leadership, she was selected to chair the National Coalition for Juvenile Justice. In summarizing her role as Crime Commission chair, she noted that it "gave me the opportunity to work with everyone as a partner in North Carolina, and we realized that our locals are the major partners." To prepare herself for answering "what strengths" she brings, Hayes said she posed the same question to her leadership team. The consensus was her skill as a collaborative leader, one who trusts her team members to manage effectively and to make wise decisions. She said she tries to avoid micro-managing and second-guessing by surrounding herself with talented administrators. Governor Perdue cited Hayes' "knowledge of the strongest people in the state when it came to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention" as being key to her appointment to the juvenile justice team. What do you see as the role of county commissioners and the county manager in local programs and services? Secretary Hayes briefly described the genesis of her department, which combined two separate divisions from two separate state agencies. That consolidation led to the creation of the Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils. Hayes said she realizes the importance of county government to the success of her department's prevention efforts. She noted the role of county commissioners in choosing committed and experienced leaders on the local juvenile councils, and her department's daily contact with county managers and finance officers in overseeing the effective and appropriate disbursement of the $23 million in JCPC funds. "The county commissioners get to appoint the people who serve … and that group does the assessment of juvenile needs in that county, with all the people from their county – judges, the sheriff, the juvenile court person, the recreation director and county staff," she said. In light of the current economic climate, what can N.C. counties expect to see from your department in terms of programs and initiatives, and what steps will your administration take to strengthen and improve the existing relationship between your agency and county governments? Secretary Hayes noted that she relies on county governments as a partner to advocate for the continued funding of JCPC grants. Her challenge is having legislators understand what services are being supported by state dollars. When the department grew increasingly concerned about possible budget cuts, local JCPC members visited Raleigh to share stories about how they are investing their funds to manage and prevent juvenile delinquency within their communities. "I saw the real collaboration with our county partners because they came to tell stories that I couldn't tell and that I couldn't go to the Legislature and say, let me tell you what this does for my county," she said. Although few new dollars are available, Secretary Hayes referenced an ARRA grant of $5 million for gang prevention, which was particularly helpful in rural counties that "didn't have any extra dollars to have any extra impact." The 71 participating counties use a structured gang assessment tool to quantify and qualify local gang activities, and then develop locally based solutions to address gang problems. "It isn't all about dollars … but about collaborative groups," she said. To stretch what few resources are available, Secretary Hayes stressed the need for more volunteers in the system, and she noted that DJJDP had a "laundry list" of promotional activities to encourage volunteerism. Further, all partners needed to bring dollars to the table. How do you expect counties to interact and communicate with your administration? Secretary Hayes emphasized that she and her team would be happy to meet with counties at any time during regional meetings sponsored by the NCACC. She is scheduling visits to all 100 counties to visit with juvenile councils and her department's residential facilities. She said she would also like to meet with county managers and finance officers to hear issues or concerns they have. What do you consider the greatest challenges facing your department? Not surprisingly, the budget and lack of resources will be tantamount for the next few years, but Secretary Hayes cautioned about monies restraining her department's core mission – namely to "prevent, intervene, treat and educate." Of great importance is how to integrate youths back into the public education system and how to lessen the state's dropout problem. "Never give up on a child," she said. |