§ 143B-529. Regional detention services.
§ 143B‑529. Regional detention services.
The Department is responsible for juvenile detention services,including the development of a statewide plan for regional juvenile detentionservices that offer juvenile detention care of sufficient quality to meet Statestandards to any juvenile requiring juvenile detention care within the State ina detention facility as follows:
(1) The Department shall plan with the counties operating acounty detention facility to provide regional juvenile detention services tosurrounding counties. The Department has discretion in defining thegeographical boundaries of the regions based on negotiations with affectedcounties, distances, availability of juvenile detention care that meets Statestandards, and other appropriate factors.
(2) The Department may plan with any county that has spacewithin its county jail system to use the existing space for a county detentionfacility when needed, if the space meets the State standards for a detentionfacility and meets all of the requirements of G.S. 153A‑221. The use ofspace within the county jail system shall be constructed to ensure thatjuveniles are not able to converse with, see, or be seen by the adultpopulation, and juveniles housed in a space within a county jail shall be supervisedclosely.
(3) The Department shall plan for and administer regionaldetention facilities. The Department shall carefully plan the location,architectural design, construction, and administration of a program to meet theneeds of juveniles in juvenile detention care. The physical facility of aregional detention facility shall comply with all applicable State and federalstandards. The programs of a regional detention facility shall comply with thestandards established by the Department. (1998‑202, ss. 1(b), 2(f); 1998‑217, s. 57(3); 2000‑137,s. 1(b).)