Jefferson County Juvenile Services Comprehensive ...

P a g e | 1

Jefferson County

Juvenile Services

Comprehensive Community Plan

July 1, 2018

to

June 30, 2021

Prepared by: Collena Laschanzky

Juvenile Services Director

P.O. Box 352

Fairbury, NE 68352

[email protected]

Prepared by: Angela Harroun

Juvenile Justice Director

P.O. Box 352

Fairbury, NE 68352

[email protected]

Chair of Team: Collena Laschanzky

Juvenile Services Director

P.O. Box352

Fairbury, NE 68352

Board Chair: Mark Schoenrock

Jefferson County Board Chair

411 4th Street

Fairbury, NE 68352

P a g e | 2

SECTION II

COMMUNITY TEAM

P a g e | 3

Community team history and organization:

The Jefferson Community Planning Team is a subcommittee of the Jefferson Community Coalition.

The coalition was reorganized in October 2004 establishing a code of by-laws, vision, mission

statements, goals and objectives. The coalition currently meets up to 6 times a year. The mission is

to reduce substance abuse among youth and adults and to develop a safe and healthy community

through collaborative planning, community action and policy advocacy. The vision of the coalition

is to assure a high quality of life for all citizens of Jefferson County through community

development and involvement.

The Community Planning Team will meet at least 4 times a year and the Jefferson County Juvenile

Services Comprehensive Plan will continue to be on the Jefferson Community Coalition agenda 4

times a year or more as needed. Revisions to the plan will be considered once a year by the team.

The Jefferson Community Planning Team is always mindful of including the entire community in

planning and implementation of all projects. We make the larger community aware of our existence

via the scope of many of our projects. Youth from Fairbury, Meridian and Tri-County Schools

attend the Fairbury Youth Involvement Center and serve on the Youth Leadership Council thus

broadening, as well as diversifying, the conversations, planning and programming sponsored by the

team.

Jefferson Community Team

NAME TITLE EMAIL

Paige Smith Fairbury Public School, Student [email protected]

Darby Paulsen Fairbury Public School, Student [email protected]

Mark Schoenrock Board of Commissioners Chair [email protected]

Carmen Hinman Hope Crisis Center, Executive Director [email protected]

Taylor Biehl Fairbury Public High School, Guidance

Counselor

[email protected]

Susan Thomas Community Volunteer [email protected]

Nels Sorensen Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department-

Sheriff

[email protected]

Chad Sprunk Chief of Police-Fairbury, Police

Department

[email protected]

Brian Julin McCleary American Lutheran Church-Pastor [email protected]

Samantha Rink Fairbury Youth Involvement Center,

Youth Leadership Coordinator

[email protected]

Don Cook Southeast Nebraska CASA, Program

Coordinator

[email protected]

Casey Tiemann Seward County Pretrial Diversion,

Case Manager

[email protected]

Denise Janssen Seward County Pretrial Diversion Director [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



P a g e | 4

NAME TITLE EMAIL

Kayla Stege NDOL, Workforce Coordinator [email protected]

Joseph Casson Jefferson County Public Defender [email protected]

Amanda Harroun Fairbury Youth Involvement Center,

Youth Advisor

[email protected]

Linda Moore Behavioral Medicine Clinic [email protected]

Hon. Linda Bauer Judge of the County Court, 1st Judicial

District

[email protected]

Scott Stemper Prevention Specialist at Region V

Prevention Systems

[email protected]

Jill Kuzelka Public Health Solutions / QPR Trainer [email protected]

Rachel Kreikemeier Proteus-Case Manager [email protected]

Nicholas Kroon Fairbury Public High School, Principal [email protected]

Jennifer Manning Juvenile Specialist, Nebraska State

Probation- District #1

[email protected]

Christy Lucking Fairbury Public Schools, Elementary

Counselor

[email protected]

Tiffany Ebke TeamMates Coordinator [email protected]

Diane Amdor The Resolution Center, Director of

Restorative Practices

diane@the resolutioncenter.org

Patty Smith Central Elementary-Fairbury Principal [email protected]

Jeffrey Goltz Jefferson County Attorney [email protected]

Collena Laschanzky Juvenile Services Director [email protected]

Angela Harroun Juvenile Justice Director [email protected]

P a g e | 5

Section III

Juvenile Justice System Analysis Tool

P a g e | 6

2012 TO 2016 Nebraska Risk & Protective Factor Student Survey Comparisons

Jefferson (n=289)

The Nebraska Risk and Protective Factor Student Survey is a biennial survey of students in grades

8, 10, and 12. The survey is designed to assess adolescent substance use, antisocial behavior, and

many of the risk and protective factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors. The Nebraska

survey is adapted from national, scientifically validated survey and contains information on the risk

and protective factors that are 1) locally actionable, 2) cannot be obtained through any other source,

and 3) are more highly correlated with substance abuse.

The report is divided into the following three sections: (1) substance use; (2) violence, bullying, and

mental health; and (3) feelings and experiences at home, school, and in the community. Within each

section, highlights of the 2016 survey data for Jefferson County are presented along with state and

national estimates, when available.

The 2018 Nebraska Risk and Protective Factor Student Survey will next be administrated during the

fall of 2018 in Jefferson County.

30-Day Substance Use Rate

Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016

Alcohol

Local n/a 7.8% 8.5% n/a 11.6% 23.3% n/a 23.8% 23.6%

Regional 5.1% 3.9% 5.9% 16.7% 12.5% 19.8% 31.3% 26.8% 29.1%

State 6.3% 4.4% 7.3% 18.4% 15.9% 20.0% 31.4% 29.6% 34.4%

Binge Drinking

Local n/a 4.9% 2.8% n/a 7.2% 10.9% n/a 16.7% 15.5%

Regional 1.9% 1.8% 0.8% 9.9% 8.1% 7.6% 22.6% 18.8% 14.7%

State 2.8% 2.2% 1.0% 11.3% 9.5% 6.9% 21.7% 21.2% 16.1%

Cigarettes

P a g e | 7

Local n/a 6.9% 6.6% n/a 5.9% 13.6% n/a 23.8% 19.2%

Regional 2.3% 2.6% 1.9% 8.5% 6.6% 5.9% 19.4% 15.1% 10.1%

State 3.3% 2.9% 2.3% 9.3% 7.6% 6.7% 18.8% 15.8% 11.9%

Marijuana

Local n/a 2.9% 5.7% n/a 5.8% 15.5% n/a 11.9% 13.9%

Regional 1.1% 1.9% 2.3% 8.7% 6.8% 8.8% 10.4% 14.1% 13.8%

State 2.3% 2.3% 2.8% 8.6% 7.6% 8.8% 11.7% 12.7% 15.7%

Prescription Drugs

Local n/a 1.0% 0.9% n/a 0.0% 3.9% n/a 3.6% 2.8%

Regional 0.6% 0.5% 0.4% 2.1% 2.2% 2.8% 3.4% 3.8% 3.3%

State 0.7% 0.6% 0.5% 2.4% 2.2% 2.6% 3.8% 3.3% 3.4%

Electronic Vapor Use

Local xx

xx

5.7%

xx

xx

16.3%

xx

xx

26.0%

Regional xx

xx

5.3%

xx

xx

10.4%

xx

xx

17.2%

State xx

xx

6.0%

xx

xx

12.3%

xx

xx

18.7%

P a g e | 8

Past 30-Day Alcohol Impaired


2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016

Drove vehicle when they had been drinking

Local n/a 1.0% 0.0% n/a 1.5% 1.9% n/a 12.9% 7.0%

Regional 0.6% 0.4% 0.5% 2.7% 1.7% 2.0% 10.0% 7.5% 5.4%

State 0.7% 0.4% 1.0% 2.7% 1.8% 2.1% 9.8% 8.0% 6.4%

Rode in vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking

Local n/a 12.9% 13.2% n/a 14.7% 17.5% 27.9% 21.2% 12.7%

Regional 17.0% 12.5% 13.1% 20.3% 15.5% 14.3% 21.9% 14.8% 13.1%

State 19.7% 13.3% 14.0% 19.8% 15.7% 12.4% 20.7% 15.9% 13.3%

P a g e | 9

Past 30 Day Sources of Alcohol


2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016

Bought it in liquor store,

gas station or grocery

stores

n/a 0.0% 0.0% n/a 9.1% 0.0% n/a 3.8% 6.3%

Got it at a party n/a 27.3% 23.5% n/a 41.7% 45.8% n/a 63.0% 47.1%

Gave someone money to

buy it for me

n/a 25.0% 5.9% n/a 18.2% 26.1% n/a 51.9% 41.2%

Got it from a parent n/a 18.2% 18.8% n/a 20.0% 4.3% n/a 7.7% 12.5%

Other family member gave

or bought it for me

n/a 33.3% 18.8% n/a 10.0% 4.3% n/a 25.9% 5.9%

Took it from home without

parents permission

n/a 25.0% 18.8% n/a 27.3% 21.7% n/a 22.2% 17.6%

Got it or took it from

friends house

n/a 23.5% n/a 39.1% n/a 29.4%

Past 30 Day Substance Use – Perceived vs. Actual

2016 Grade 8 Grade 10 Grade 12

Drank Alcohol

Perceived 12.7% 30.3% 34.7%

Actual 8.5% 23.3% 23.6%

P a g e | 10

Smoked Cigarettes

Perceived 11.4% 26.0% 23.5%

Actual 6.6% 13.6% 19.2%

Smoked Marijuana

Perceived 11.6% 28.4% 25.5%

Actual 5.7% 15.5% 13.9%

Attitudes Towards Substance Use – Perception of wrong or very wrong


Have 1 or 2 drinks of

alcohol nearly every

day

Themselves 85.3% 74.5% 65.3%

Peers 86.8% 61.4% 54.2%

Parents 93.4% 89.2% 83.1%

Smoke marijuana

Themselves 91.1% 59.8% 65.3%

Peers 88.6% 55.4% 55.6%

Parents 92.4% 86.3% 85.9%

Misuse prescription

drugs

Themselves 96.1% 92.2% 91.7%

Peers 93.3% 83.2% 84.7%

Parents 95.3% 98.0% 98.6%

P a g e | 11

Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide in past 12 Months

2016


Lost sleep

Local 23.1% 24.0% 30.6%

Regional 15.4% 19.0% 16.9%

State 16.1% 19.5% 18.9%

Depressed

Local 36.5% 44.2% 45.8%

Regional 27.1% 34.0% 31.5%

State 28.4% 33.9% 33.5%

Inflicted self-harm

Local 19.2% 17.3% 11.1%

Regional 13.1% 14.5% 10.5%

State 12.2% 14.3% 11.3%

Considered attempting suicide

Local 26.0% 23.1% 31.9%

Regional 14.6% 16.8% 14.7%

State 13.9% 17.3% 14.8%

P a g e | 12

Attempted suicide

Local 9.6% 3.8% 6.9%

Regional 3.9% 4.8% 4.0%

State 3.6% 4.6% 3.6%

Experiences with Family


2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016

Parents know where I am n/a 95.0 90.5 n/a 85.1 88.2 n/a 88.2 90.0

Clear substance use rules n/a 95.1 86.8 n/a 82.1 89.2 n/a 87.1 81.7

Help for personal problems n/a 84.2 78.6 n/a 83.8 90.0 n/a 77.6 81.7

Ask about homework n/a 91.2 87.6 n/a 77.9 86.3 n/a 72.9 74.6

Important to be honest with

parents

n/a 94.1 89.5 n/a 88.2 90.0 n/a 85.9 87.3

Discussed dangers of alcohol n/a 59.4 45.7 n/a 43.3 43.0 n/a 44.4 28.2

P a g e | 13

Experiences in Community


2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016 2012 2014 2016

Hard to buy alcohol from

store

n/a 85.9% 82.9% n/a 81.0% 74.0% n/a 69.9% 78.9%

Caught by police if

drinking

n/a 44.0% 58.5% n/a 26.5% 44.1% n/a 29.8% 50.7%

Caught by police if

drinking and driving

n/a 77.0% 78.3% n/a 63.2% 77.5% n/a 51.2% 77.8%

Caught by police if

smoking marijuana

n/a 64.6% 64.2% n/a 33.8% 45.0% n/a 31.3% 47.2%

Adults I can talk to n/a 59.8% 53.8% n/a 52.9% 56.1% n/a 61.2% 54.9%

Dating Violence during the Past 12 Months

2016


Physically hurt by date

Local 1.8% 8.8% 5.6%

State 3.7% 6.3% 5.9%

Controlled or emotionally hurt by

date

Local 28.4% 33.9% 33.5%

State 16.1% 27.7% 27.4%

P a g e | 14

Bullying during the Past 12 Months


Any bullying

Local 70.8% 66.3% 56.2%

State 65.1% 59.6% 51.0%

Physically

Local 32.4% 20.2% 15.5%

State 27.8% 19.9% 12.2%

Verbally

Local 63.2% 54.8% 50.0%

State 55.7% 50.9% 42.3%

Socially

Local 51.4% 51.9% 44.4%

State 47.0% 45.2% 40.1%

Electronically

Local 27.6% 26.9% 26.4%

State 22.2% 23.4% 20.1%

P a g e | 15

2012 to 2016 Nebraska Risk and Protective Factors Student Survey Comparisons and Trends

(Region V – 16 counties in southeast Nebraska)

More youth reported alcohol being easier to obtain, cigarettes being second and marijuana being

the third highest perception of access. Increase noted among each grade level with being

able to obtain prescription drugs for non-medical use (8th grade 17%, 10th grade 27%, and 12th

grade 33.1%).

Top four sources for obtaining alcohol during past 30 day use include;

Getting it at a party

Took it from home without parents’ permission

Got it or took it from a friends’ home

An average of 12.5% of all youth surveyed reported parents giving it to them or buying

it for them.

Top sources for obtaining prescription drugs include; took from home without parents

knowledge, someone gave it to them, and got them in some other way (not listed).

An average of 96% of youth surveyed in Region V believe that their parents thought substance

use among youth was wrong or very wrong, including the use of cigarettes, smokeless

tobacco, alcohol, driving after drinking, smoking marijuana and misuse of prescription

drugs.

Youth reporting that they believe peer use of substances as wrong or very wrong include a

combined average of 8th, 10th and 12th

grades include;

Smoking tobacco – 77.8 %

Having one or two drinks daily – 72%

Smoking marijuana – 72.6%

Misuse of prescription drugs – 89.6%

Choice of alcohol among youth would indicate liquor followed closely by beer.

Majority of youth said they would go to their parent or caregiver if they had an alcohol/drug

problem and needed help, friends being the next popular choice.

Majority of 8th graders reported they would go to their parent or caregiver if they were depressed

or felt suicidal, friends being the second choice. Majority of 10th and 12th graders reported

going to friends if they were depressed or suicidal, parent or caregiver was the next popular

choice.

An alarming 19.4% of all youth surveyed indicated they would not go to anyone if they were

depressed or felt suicidal.

The next Nebraska Risk and Protective Factor Student Survey is scheduled to be administered in

the 2018-2019 academic year.

**To see the full 2016 NRPFSS report go to: www.talkaboutalcohol.org/county/Jefferson

http://www.talkaboutalcohol.org/county/Jefferson

P a g e | 16

Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol CMCA is a community-organizing program designed to reduce adolescents’ access to alcohol

though change in community policies and practices. A key intervention of this program is to

collaborate and educate the community on alcohol-based laws and societal norms. To form an

understanding of community perceptions of underage alcohol-use, community members in Butler,

Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Lancaster, Nemaha, Polk, Saline, Saunders, Seward, Thayer,

and York Counties (which comprise the Region V Systems area) were interviewed about their

perceptions of the prevalence of alcohol use, their knowledge of alcohol laws, and suggestions they

may have for improving alcohol-related policies and practices. The following summary is intended

to provide an overview of key themes found throughout all the interviews.

Respondent Demographics

Of the 379 interviews conducted, the majority of respondents were in between the ages of 45-64,

were Non-Latino, Female, and White. Additionally, when respondents were asked if they were the

parent of a child 12-20 years old, the majority who answered responded they were not. While the

majority of the interviews were conducted in Lancaster County, 14 of the 1 to 2 hour interviews

were conducted in Jefferson County, and interviewees were divided into the following 14 sectors:

*Business * Law Enforcement

*Community Based Organizations * Neighborhood Associations

*Faith Community * Parent/Families

*Health care provider * Senior Citizens

*Human / Social Services * Youth

Key Themes During the community interviews, respondents were asked questions that focused on

alcohol and other substances. This summary describes the topical themes related to these aspects,

based on respondents’ answers of the questions. The top themes were:

*Alcohol * Prescription drugs

*Marijuana * Meth

*Drinking and driving * Bars and/or Downtown

Alcohol was the top theme, with underage drinking a prevalent concern in the communities

surveyed. Additionally, community members expressed wanting more resources to combat

underage drinking. Schools and parents were the top sectors identified for implementing underage

drinking prevention education.

Marijuana was the second-most common theme other than alcohol throughout all interviews. This

indicates that many community members are concerned about the use of marijuana in the

community. Additionally, many community members stated they heard or saw it in the community.

P a g e | 17

The majority of references were in relation to youth use, however some referenced seeing adults

and/or parents using. Additionally, a small portion referenced it in relation to legalization.

Drinking and driving was described as a concern in the community, which was supported by many

respondents seeing and hearing about this. Prevention suggestions included increasing the

awareness of ride services as well as organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving

(MADD).

Prescription drugs were commonly discussed in regards to their misuse and easy access at home –

in medicine cabinets or from relatives. Health care providers who were interviewed commonly

expressed concern regarding prescription drug use, and only one provider said they didn’t see

anything.

Meth was discussed as something seen and heard about in the community, and was related to youth

use. The use of meth was mentioned more in rural counties. There has been a recent increase in talk

about meth use and prevalence, which may influence respondents’ perception of how common meth

use is.

Bars and/or downtown were commonly discussed in relation to serving minors and seeing people

of age drinking in excess. The large number of bars in Lincoln and other counties was also a

common concern. Discussion of drinking at bars and/or downtown overlapped with discussions

about football and game days in Lancaster County. Additional themes were football, high school

graduation, fake IDs, prom, holidays, county fair, college campus, and special events. These

additional themes each contained less than 60 references throughout all the interviews, and these

smaller themes may be due to more county-specific information.

Community Suggestions

The overall theme was “inform and be informed”. Many respondents suggested increasing

education for youth and adults on the dangers of alcohol and substance use. Needs included

education for parents, increased law enforcement, healthier homes, and more school involvement.

“Parental influence is huge. Parents can’t be naïve – they have to be educated. Take the time

to learn about things and then make a positive impact for your kid.”

“Being more involved with our youth, taking more classes on this subjects so we are more

informed, especially if you work with kids or as parents.”

Concerns

Many respondents commented on the impressionability of youth, and how they model what they

see parents and adults do. The number one concern was alcohol use, with marijuana use following.

Specific sub-populations that were of concern included low-income families, single parent homes,

and adolescent or college-aged youth.

“My biggest concerns are for the adults who pass their habits down to their kids.”

“I have a concern now that alcohol is advertised on televisions it is becoming normalized for

young people to see that it is okay.”

P a g e | 18

“Marijuana use – people think it’s not harmful and that is should be legalized in Nebraska.”

Expectations The majority of adults and youth talk to each other about their expectations about

alcohol and substance use. Youth specifically identified parents talking to them most often, and of

those, 21 specified “mom”

Hear in Community A common report was hearing of high school youth using alcohol and other

substances. Additionally, hearing of binge drinking for adults was common. Other substances that

were most commonly mentioned were meth, marijuana, and prescription drugs. However, it’s

important to note some respondents stated they did not hear about alcohol or substance use in their

community.

“Alcohol still seems to be a problem. It would seem that it is less than when I was growing

up. It seems now it has switched to marijuana use with young kids and old timers are more

of the drinkers.”

Involvement in Community Many respondents stated they are not involved with substance abuse

prevention. When asked as to the reasons preventing their participation, reasons included time or

being unaware about opportunities. Those who are involved are doing so mainly through schools,

law enforcement, or their jobs. Additionally, many expect schools to be the main voice for alcohol

and substance use prevention.

“No reason other than there’s no organization to do so – nothing around to get involved in.”

“I feel like the schools need to reach out to the community more – they often wait for us to

come to them.”

Leadership Ideas presented by community members included increasing the presence of community activities,

more discussion with youth and using schools to teach them. Although many suggestions to address

concerns were offered, many people stated they are not in a leadership role.

“As a business owner, I think there are concerns that I shouldn’t get involved in - kind of

like politics - I don’t think it’s wise as a business owner. Although, I do talk to people

informally.”

“Communication is key – all of us need to talk as partners working together. What are the

schools doing, how can the community help. I can’t help if I don’t know what they need or

what is currently going on.”

Mental Health

The majority of respondents stated they believe alcohol and substance use impair judgment and

contribute to mental health issues. However, a few respondents stated they didn’t think mental

health was related to alcohol and substance use.

“Yes, it affects your judgment, can’t think clearly - even though the kids think that they are

actually thinking more clearly.”

P a g e | 19

“People who have mental issues who are using it, you’re good for a while, but then you

relapse and you think you let everyone down and they’re going through it and they feel

there’s no way out. So I feel like prevention is really better, and even just treatment itself, it

should be out more.”

Parent & Adult Roles A common theme throughout all interviews was the expectation that parent

and adult role models will provide alcohol and substance use prevention education. As a

community, many members believe a difference can be made through parents and adults in the

community to combat underage alcohol and 4 substance use. However, much of the responsibility is

placed on parents and adult role models. Finally, it was a common conception that education should

come from home, which was usually grouped with the word “parents”.

“The issues with the challenges and the harmful effects should come from home. The

parents should be first and then schools should partner with them.”

“We could also provide information to educate parents and make sure to give kids a choice

by not making alcohol available at such a young age.”

P a g e | 20

See in Community When asked what respondents saw in their community in regards to alcohol and

substance use, youth drinking and using substances was the most common response, especially high

school aged. Binge drinking, drinking and driving, marijuana use, substance abuse, and smoking

were other common sights in the community. Common events such as sporting events, weddings,

community gatherings, and social events were identified as places that alcohol and substance use is

seen. It’s important to note many respondents said they didn’t see many things in the community in

regards to alcohol or substance use.

“Being of age now I see people drinking at bars and I know they’re underage.”

“There is a casual attitude from adults in regard to alcohol. It’s engrained in the culture.

There is a regular use but not a lot of abuse.”

“Everything has alcohol with it. Alcohol is even a part of sporting events. It is in all

activities.”

Conclusion

Underage drinking and binge drinking are prevalent concerns in the communities surveyed.

Many respondents stated they saw and heard about drinking in their communities. Although

some concerns were expressed about adults drinking, the majority of responses specifically

identified underage drinking.

Many community members want more resources to combat alcohol and substance use.

When asked about involvement in the community and leadership roles, it was evident many

respondents were not aware of prevention efforts. Many expressed interest in becoming more

involved and presented ideas that they could bring to these efforts.

Schools and parents were the top sectors identified for implementing prevention education.

Throughout the interviews, a common theme was talking about alcohol and substance use in

relation to parents’ and schools’ roles in educating their children. Additionally, many respondents

saw, heard, and expressed concerns about what they saw parents and adult role models doing in

regards to alcohol and substance use.

Recommendations

Based on these findings, efforts could be made to focus on increasing involvement and leadership in

alcohol and substance use prevention in the community. These efforts can be made by utilizing

community members’ suggestions to build engagement. Focusing on youth engagement and

education could also benefit prevention efforts. Finally, increasing awareness in the community

about ongoing prevention efforts could provide community members with more informed

perceptions.

P a g e | 21

Jefferson County Law Enforcement:

Jefferson County Law Enforcement Center comprised the following totals for the 2015 and 2016

reporting years for Jefferson County.

2015 Jefferson County Juvenile (Ages 0-17 yrs) Arrest Data

Result Set: 52 records found

County 17 and Under Total

Jefferson 52 52

http://www.nebraska.gov/crime_commission/arrest/arrest.cgi

2015 Jefferson County Juvenile (Ages 0-17 yrs) Offense Data


http://www.nebraska.gov/crimecommission/arrest/arrest.cgi

2015 Jefferson County Sherriff Office Juvenile (0-17 years) Arrest Data

Result Set: 1 record found

County Agency 17 and Under Total

Jefferson Jefferson CO. S.O 1 1


Offense Juvenile

(0-17 yrs.)

Total

Aggravated Assault 1 1

Burglary 1 1

Larceny 4 4

Simple Assault 24 24

Vandalism 1 1

Weapons 1 1

Drug Abuse Violations 2 2

Driving Under the

Influence

1 1

Disorderly Conduct 4 4

All Other Offenses (except

traffic)

12 12

Runaway (Juvenile only) 1 1

Total 52 52




P a g e | 22

2015 Jefferson County Sherriff Office Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Arrest Data


County Agency Runaway

(Juvenile only)

Total

Jefferson Jefferson CO. S.O 1 1


2015 Jefferson County Fairbury Police Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Arrest Data


County Agency 17 and Under Total

Jefferson Fairbury P.D. 51 51


2015 Jefferson County Fairbury Police Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Offense Data



Offense Juvenile

(0-17 yrs.)

Total


Burglary 1 1

Larceny 4 4

Simple Assault 24 24

Vandalism 1 1

Weapons 1 1


Driving Under the

Influence

1 1



traffic)

12 12

Total 51 51




P a g e | 23

2016 Jefferson County Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Arrest Data


County 17 and Under Total

Jefferson 31 31


2016 Jefferson County Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Offense Data



2015 Jefferson County Sherriff Office Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Available Arrest Data by

Race/Ethnicity


County White Total

Jefferson 1 1

Total 1 1

Offense Juvenile

(0-17 yrs.)

Total


Burglary 3 3

Larceny 1 1

Simple Assault 8 8

Vandalism 2 2

Weapons 1 1

Sex Offenses (except rape

and prostitution)

1 1




traffic)

7 7

Total 31 31



P a g e | 24

2015 Jefferson County Fairbury Police Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Available Arrest Data by

Race/Ethnicity


County Unknown White Black Total

Jefferson 1 47 3 51

Total 1 47 3 51

2016 Jefferson County Fairbury Police Juvenile (0-17 yrs) Available Arrest Data by

Race/Ethnicity


County White Black Total

Jefferson 30 1 31

Total 30 1 31



P a g e | 25

P a g e | 26

P a g e | 27

P a g e | 28

P a g e | 29

2016 Jefferson County Juvenile Probation Activity - Youth by Race and Gender

Cohort Placed on Probation

Out-of-home

Placement

Motions to

Revoke

Probation Revoked

Satisfactory Release

Average Length of Probation

# of Youth # of Youth

# of Youth

# of Youth # of Youth # of Youth Months

Black 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

White 17 7 3 1 5 13 13.4

Other 1 3 0 0 3 3 13.3

Female 7 2 2 1 5 8 17.7

Male 12 8 1 0 3 8 7.4

2016 Jefferson County Juvenile Cases & Adjudication by Case Type by Race/Ethnicity

Traffic Offense Status Offense

# Cases # Admit % Admit # Cases # Admit % Admit

Hispanic 0 0 0% 0 0 0%

White 0 0 0% 0 0 0%

Unknown 0 0 0% 3 3 100%

Misdemeanor Felony

# Case # Admit % Admit # Case # Admit % Admit

Hispanic 1 1 100% 1 1 100%

White 8 8 100% 0 0 0%

Unknown 29 25 86% 6 3 50%

2016 Jefferson County Access to Counsel by Race/Ethnicity

Cohort All Cases # # Traffic Cases # Misdmeanor Cases # Felony Cases

Unknown 3 0 2 1

Cohort All Cases # # Probation Cases # Jail Cases # Prison Cases

Unknown 4 2 2 0

Cohorts Adult to Juvenile Court

Motion to Transfer Transferred Motion to Transfer Transferred

Unknown 5 1 1 2

Juvenile to Adult Court

2016 Jefferson County Juveniles Prosecuted in Adult Criminal Court by Case Type & Race/Ethnicity

2016 Jefferson County Juveniles Prosecuted in Adult Criminal Court by Sentence & Race/Ethnicity

2016 Jefferson County Motions to Transfer Courts & Transfers by Race/Ethnicity

Cohort Total Cases # w/o Counsel # w/Counsel % w/CounselTotal Cases # w/out Counsel # w/Counsel % w/Counsel

Hispanic 0 0 0 0% 2 1 1 50%

White 2 2 0 0% 8 3 5 63%

Unknown 7 2 5 71% 44 22 22 50%

Criminal Court Cases Juvenile Court Cases

P a g e | 30

Section IV

Community Socio-Economics

P a g e | 31

Jefferson County Community Socio-economics

Population 2016: 7,354 Square miles: 570.19

JEFFERSON COUNTY

POPULATION

Number Total population 7,354 Square miles (land) 570.19 Population per square mile 12.9

GENDER

Number Pct Male

3,580 48.7 Female

3,774 51.3

AGE Number Pct

14 or younger 1,323 18

15-24 755 10.3

25-44 1,479 20.1

45-64 2,094 28.5

65+ 1,703 23.1

Average age (years)

45.7

RACE Number TOTAL POPULATION 7,354 One race 7,189

Two or more races 165 One Race:

Pct 97.8

2.2

White 7,110 96.7

Black or African American 0 0.0

American Indian and Alaska native 70 1.0

Asian 0 0.0

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander

0 0.0 Some other race

9 0.1 Two or more races

165 2.2

P a g e | 32

Hispanic or Latino

249 3.4

White and Black or African American 56 0.8

White and American Indian and Alaska Native 76 1.0 White and Asian 17 0.2 Black or African American and 5 0.1 American Indian and Alaska Native

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Number Pct Population 25 and older

5,276 Number High school graduates (includes equivalency) 2,062 39.1 Some college, or associate's degree 1,866 34.8

Bachelor's degree 580 11 Master's, professional or doctorate degree 204 3.9

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT Number

Population 3 years and over enrolled in school 1,515

Number Pct Preschool and kindergarten 183 12.1

Grades 1-12 1125 74.3

College 207 13.7 2016 Jefferson County, Nebraska: Juveniles (0-17) by Sex and Ethnicity

Non Hispanic Hispanic Total Male 748 47 795 Female 724 51 775 Total 1,472 98 1,570

P a g e | 33

INCOME AND BENEFITS (IN 2016 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)

Total households 3,303

Less than $10,000 165

$10,000 to $14,999 274

$15,000 to $24,999 433

$25,000 to $34,999 419

$35,000 to $49,999 533

$50,000 to $74,999 759

$75,000 to $99,999 316

$100,000 to $149,999 266

$150,000 to $199,999 42

$200,000 or more 96

Median household income (dollars) $44,616

Mean household income (dollars) $57,410

With earnings 2,476

Mean earnings (dollars) $57,127

With Social Security 1,318

Mean Social Security income (dollars) $16,571

With retirement income 465

Mean retirement income (dollars) $14,101

With Supplemental Security Income 182

Mean Supplemental Security Income (dollars) $10,068

With cash public assistance income 72

Mean cash public assistance income (dollars) $2,131

With Food Stamp/SNAP benefits in the past 12 months 284

Families 2,040

Less than $10,000 56

$10,000 to $14,999 72

$15,000 to $24,999 118

P a g e | 34

https://factfinder.census.

gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/i

ndex.xhtml#

Jefferson County, Nebraska

Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It was named in honor of

Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America. Its county seat is Fairbury. The

population is 7,354 at the 2016 American Community Survey.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Jefferson County is represented by the prefix 33 (it had the

thirty-third-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was

established in 1922).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,491 km²),

of which, 570 sq mi (1,476 km2) of it is land and 5.5 sq mi (14 km

2), 1.0% of it is water.

Jefferson County has Public School Districts which includes Fairbury Public Schools, Fairbury;

Meridian Public Schools, Daykin; Tri County Public School, DeWitt; Diller-Odell, Diller as well as

Private Schools: St. Paul's Lutheran Elementary School, Plymouth. Fairbury also hosts alternative

high school programs.

Law Enforcement agencies serving Jefferson County includes Jefferson County Sheriff’s

Department, Fairbury Police Department as well as the Nebraska State Patrol.

$25,000 to $34,999 214

$35,000 to $49,999 376

$50,000 to $74,999 624

$75,000 to $99,999 216

$100,000 to $149,999 238

$150,000 to $199,999 36

$200,000 or more 90

Median family income (dollars) $52,460

Mean family income (dollars) $69,512

Per capita income (dollars) $26,305

Nonfamily households 1,263

Median nonfamily income (dollars) $24,288

Mean nonfamily income (dollars) $35,896

Median earnings for workers (dollars) $27,054

Median earnings for male full-time, year-round workers (dollars) $36,935

Median earnings for female full-time, year-round workers (dollars) $29,148

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml



http://www.fairburyjeffs.org/

http://www.tricountyschools.org/

http://www.dillerodell.org/

P a g e | 35

As of the census estimates of 2016, there were 7,354 people, 3,303 occupied households, and 2,412

families residing in the county. Of the 3,303 occupied households there were 2,499 owner-occupied

and 804 renter-occupied. The population density was 12.90 people per square mile. There were

3,903 housing units. The racial makeup of the county including one race alone was 96.7% White,

1.0% Native American, 0.10% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. Of the

population 3.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,303 households out of which 19.60% had children under the age of 18 living with

them, 51.10% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no

husband present, and 38.2% were non-families 34.70% of all households were made up of

individuals and 17.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average

owner-occupied household size was 2.22% and the average renter occupied size was 2.09%.

In the county the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24,

20.1% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The

median age was 45.7 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. Age dependency ratio of

81.3%, Old-age dependency ratio of 42.0% and a Child dependency ration of 39.30%

The median income for a household in the county was $44,616, and the median income for a family

was $52,460. Males had a median income of $47,905 versus $35,526 for females. The per capita

income for the county was $26,305. About 6.90% of families and 11.70% of the population were

below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Counties, City and Villages: Jefferson County, NE is the 39th most populated county in Nebraska

and borders Republic County, KS; Washington County, KS; Fillmore County, NE; Gage County,

NE; Saline County, NE; and Thayer County, NE. The surrounding communities that encompass

Jefferson County are: Daykin, Diller, Endicott, Fairbury, Gladstone, Harbine, Jansen, Plymouth,

Reynolds, and Steele City.

Transportation: Served by one major railroad, Nebraska Highways 4, 8, 15 and 103, U.S.

Highway 136, a municipal airport with paved runway and two truck lines.

Local Economy:

The most common job groups by occupation, by number of people living in Jefferson County, NE,

are Management, Business, Science, & Arts, Sales & Office, and Service. The most common

employment sectors by industry for those who live in Jefferson County, NE, are Healthcare &

Social Assistance, Retail trade, and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting.

Employment by Industries: The most common employment sectors for those who live in Jefferson

County, NE, are Healthcare & Social Assistance, Retail trade, and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing,

Hunting. The bullets below share the breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Jefferson

County, NE, though some of these residents may live in Jefferson County, NE and work somewhere

else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Jefferson County, NE has an unusually high number

https://datausa.io/about/glossary/#county

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/nebraska/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/republic-county-ks/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/washington-county-ks/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/fillmore-county-ne/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/gage-county-ne/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/gage-county-ne/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/saline-county-ne/

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/thayer-county-ne/

https://datausa.io/profile/acs_occ/00/



https://datausa.io/profile/acs_ind/0901/


https://datausa.io/profile/acs_ind/040x/


https://datausa.io/profile/geo/jefferson-county-ne/#tmap_ind_num_emp


https://datausa.io/profile/acs_ind/040x/



https://datausa.io/about/glossary/#rca

https://datausa.io/about/glossary/#county

P a g e | 36

of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting; Utilities; and Other services, except

public administration.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Jefferson County, NE, by median earnings, are

Utilities; Educational Services; and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing.

Jefferson County Educational Opportunities:

Primary and Secondary Education: There are four public school systems located in the county.

According to the Department of Education, the following are attendance rates by school for the

2016-2017 school year: Fairbury 94.8%, Tri-County 97.4%, Diller Odell 96.7%, Meridian 94.9%

School enrollment in Jefferson County as of May 31, 2018 was 1,748.

Jefferson County Is Rich in Historic Lore

Historic and Natural Attractions Include:

Woral C. Smith Lime Kiln and Limestone House: A large limestone dwelling built in1876. The

limestone industry flourished in Jefferson County, and many buildings were constructed with the

native rock. The Smith Lime Kiln is one of the few remaining examples of this important pioneer

industry.

Pre-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOTAL

F

air

bu

ry

Central Elem

55

56

70

60

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

241

Jefferson Elem

0

0

0

0

61

66

59

57

0

0

0

0

0

0

243

High 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

70

51

80

59

71

57

388

Dil

ler-O

del

l

Elem 14

16

21

17

20

18

19

22

0

0

0

0

0

0

147

High 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

14

17

12

18

26

20

107

Tri

-Co

un

ty

Elem 26

23

30

29

21

23

27

40

0

0

0

0

0

0

219

High 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

30

32

37

26

26

22

173

M

erid

ian

Elem 13

18

10

18

13

16

15

12

0

0

0

0

0

0

115

High 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

16

18

16

19

23

23

115

JEFFERSON COUNTY

108

113

131

124

115

123

120

131

130

118

145

122

146

122 1,748



https://datausa.io/profile/geo/jefferson-county-ne/#top_ind_med_earnings




P a g e | 37

Fairbury Rock Island Depot and Freight House: Constructed in 1913. The large two-story

Renaissance Revival-style building served as a passenger/freight depot and the Rock Island's

Western Division headquarters from the time of its construction through 1965. The Rock Island

Railroad Depot is one of two remaining brick Rock Island Railroad Depots in Nebraska and is the

largest depot still in existence between Chicago and Denver.

I.O.O.F. Temple Building: Built in 1894-95, the two-story brick Romanesque Revival commercial

building was jointly constructed by wife of a county judge, and the Independent Order of Odd

Fellows, Lodge 54. The lodge on the second story served as the Odd Fellows Hall in Fairbury for

almost seventy years.

Oregon Trail: Located in the “Little Blue Valley,” friendly Jefferson County is rich in historic lore,

the route of the Oregon Trail having passed across the county, and in some places the ruts left by

the wagons of the “49’ers” can still be seen. Historic spots along the trail include the famous Rock

Creek Station where “Wild Bill” Hickok killed David McCanles: the grave of George Winslow, the

only grave along the entire trail marked with a stone; the burial place of many Mormons who died

while camped along the trail (the Big Sandy crossing on the trail was the scene of many deaths).

Jefferson County was the scene of possibly the largest battle ever fought between Indians. Ten

thousand Sioux and Cheyenne’s battling 10,000 eastern Indians in 1832, was near where the Big

Sandy Creek joins the Little Blue River. One of the last large battles between the Pawnee and Sioux

was fought in this county in 1862.

Jefferson County Courthouse: The Jefferson County Courthouse is located in the middle of

downtown Fairbury. Surrounding it are the original brick streets and quaint downtown with detailed

building facades. It was built in 1891 of hand-cut limestone and features ceramic-fronted fireplaces

in some offices and unique antique furniture in the courtroom. Leading up to the clock tower stand

three statues of justice. Completing the courthouse is a valuable antique with the clock, “Little Ben”

as it is sometimes called.

Other attractions to see in Jefferson County:

Fairbury City Museum (located in Fairbury)

McDowell’s Rose Creek Mausoleum (located southwest of Fairbury)

Anna C. Diller Opera House (located in Diller)

Diller Bank (located in Diller)

Rock Creek Station State Historical Park (located east of Fairbury)

Steele City Historical District (located in Steele City)

Uncle Billy Smith’s Cabin (located in Endicott)

Campbell Bros. Circus mural (located in Fairbury)

Little Blue River Trail (located in Fairbury)

Tri-County Oregon Trail Monument (located east of Steele City area)

Pottery and Art Gallery (located in Fairbury)

Four-Corner Survey Marker (located southwest of Fairbury)

District 10 School Museum (located northwest of Fairbury)

Steele City Canyons (located west of Steele City area)

Wildlife Management Areas: offering hiking, hunting, fishing and primitive camping

Rock Glen (located east of Fairbury near Rock Creek Station State Historical Park)

Flathead (located south of Fairbury)

Rose Creek (located southwest of Fairbury)

http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/jefferson/JF04-047_Rock_Island_Dpo.pdf

http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/jefferson/JF04-062_IOOF_Temple_Bld.pdf

P a g e | 38

Alexandria (located northwest of Fairbury near Alexandria State Recreation Area)

Endicott Clay Products-Beehive Brick Kilns (located southwest of Endicott) https://heritagehighway136.com/jefferson-county/ - what-to-see-in-jefferson-county

Fairbury City Park is located on the southwest side of the Fairbury City which has The Frontier Fun

Park and is the first of its kind in the state of Nebraska built in 1995 and funded entirely by

community volunteers. McNish Park, formerly Highland Park, built in 1920 is used for a

playground for children and a picnic spot.

Recreational Campgrounds:

Camp Jefferson is located 3 miles south of Fairbury on Hwy 8 and one mile west on Camp

Jefferson Road. With its fully-functioning mess hall, the multi-purpose arts/crafts area, and multiple

cabins for lodging, it is the perfect place to bring your group. Camp Jefferson offers many

recreational activities including offering hiking, fishing and camping with RV hookups, showers

and restrooms, picnic shelters and a shaded playground swimming in the pool, sand volleyball,

archery and canoeing.

Alexandria State Recreation Area (located northwest of Fairbury) offering hiking, fishing and

camping with RV hookups, modern and primitive restrooms, dump station, picnic shelters,

playground.

Buckley Creek Recreational Area (located southwest of Fairbury) offering hiking, fishing, boating

(5 mph limit), golfing, camping with RV hookups, restrooms and picnic shelters.

Cub Creek (located northeast of Fairbury) offering hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping,

shelter, playground and restrooms.

Leisure Lake (located southeast of Plymouth) offering hiking, fishing, hunting and primitive

camping

Youth Activities in Jefferson County Include:

Jefferson County School District schools offer a broad array of activities for our youth to support

and participate with classmates.

Clubs: FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), FFA (Future Farmers of America), Energizers,

National Honor Society, Journalism, Student Councils, Teammates, Choir, Band, Pep Clubs, Art,

Speech, Skills USA, etc.

Sports: Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, Track & Field, Cross Country, Wrestling, Golf,

Tennis, Trap, Swimming and Diving team, etc.

Young people are given the opportunities to attend, through the school year and summer months,

conferences and competitions to gain valuable skills and sharpen their knowledge. They can also

attend movies at the local theater, participate in church activities, hunt and fish, and take part in

extramural sports. During the year some activities are 4-H activities through the University of

Nebraska Extension office, afterschool programs offered in the communities, Boy Scouts, Girl

Scouts, youth tackle football, dance classes for a wide range of ages, Team Mates mentoring

https://heritagehighway136.com/jefferson-county/#what-to-see-in-jefferson-county

P a g e | 39

programming, etc. Included are a few activities offered during spring and summer months such as

Little League Baseball, Community Girls Softball, American Legion baseball, spring soccer, etc.

Annual Jefferson County Community Events and Activities:

Flea Markets: Many towns within Jefferson County host annual flea markets throughout the year.

Fairbury hosts the Pioneer Shrine flea market, and Steele City hosts their market every fall. Items

include but not limited to old and new furniture, clothing, crafts, coins and much more. Food

vendors are available with a large choice of food and beverages. People travel from across the

county to attend the markets.

Fourth of July Celebrations: Many communities throughout Jefferson County have planned Fourth

of July celebrations. These events have included 4th

of July Shrine parade, live music, dances, food

stands, and fireworks shows, etc.

Jefferson County Fair: The Jefferson County Fair is held just east of Fairbury on the PWF Road

every July. Activities include: Photography and Photography Contest, tractor pulling; ATV driving

contest; Miss Jefferson County; 4-H fair entries, judging and exhibits, horse and dog show, rodeo,

car races, music, dancing, food, carnival; etc.

Rock Creek Trail Days: The first weekend in June gives locals and visitors a chance to travel back

in time when covered wagons and the new railroad were the principle means of transportation along

the trails that cut through the Fairbury area in southeast Nebraska. Rock Creek Station featuring re-

enactment of the Hickok-McCanles Fracas, Pony Express Ride, Mule Pulled Wagon Rides,

Historical Interpretation on the East and West Ranches, music. Some of the activities include; living

history, frontier cabin life, Pony Express runs, Dutch oven cooking, blacksmithing and much more.

Halloween: Many communities promote several days of activities leading up to Halloween

including: haunted houses, 5K/10K run event and trick or treating.

Frost Frolic Holiday Market: Held annually now at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and is

considered the area's largest shopping event. There will be handmade items, home décor, apparel,

food trucks, food vendor in the 4-H kitchen and much more.

P a g e | 40

Section V

Identified Priority Areas

& Corresponding Strategies

P a g e | 41

Organizational Priority #1: Maintain, strengthen, and expand upon the current infrastructure for

collaboration and cooperation within Jefferson County for juvenile services.

The Jefferson Community Coalition, (JCC), meets 5 to 6 times a year and includes community plan

updates on the agenda 4 or more times a year. The Community Planning Team, a subcommittee of

the JCC, meets 4 times a year and considers revisions to the community plan once a year. To date,

current agencies, services, and programs have not expressed any concerns regarding minority youth

not receiving services or being over-represented in the programs. Current agencies, services, and

programming involved include:

Blue Valley Community Action Partnership - Head Start, Circle of Security, Connected

Youth Initiative, Family & Youth Involvement Center

Court Appointed Special Advocates

Fairbury Chamber of Commerce

Fairbury Elks Lodge

Jefferson Community Coalition

Jefferson County 1184 Treatment Team

Jefferson County Attorney

Jefferson County Extension Office

Jefferson County Juvenile Court

Jefferson County Law Enforcement Center

Jefferson County Diversion Services

Jefferson County Public Defender

Health & Human Services

Hope Crisis Center

Probation District #1

Proteus

Public Health Solutions

Mental & Behavioral Health Services

Ministerial Association

Nebraska Department of Labor

Region V Systems

The Resolution Center

Rooted in Relationships

Schools – Diller Odell, Fairbury, Meridian, St Paul’s Lutheran, Tri County

Attendance Support Program

TeamMates

Youth Thrive & Family Thrive Trainers

Needs indicated in Section III of this plan support the list of agencies, services, and

programs currently involved in the JCC as well as for the expansion of additional service

providers coming on board.

P a g e | 42

Strategy #1: Actively recruit for even broader county-wide representation on the Community

Planning Team.

Stakeholders Involved:

Blue Valley Community Action Partnership - Head Start, Circle of Security,

Connected Youth Initiative, Family & Youth Involvement Center



Fairbury Elks Lodge




Jefferson County Extension Office – 4-H






Hope Crisis Center


Proteus – Education, Training, & Employment




Nebraska Department of Labor – WIOA

Region V Systems





TeamMates


Timeline: On-going throughout the 3 year plan.

Required Resources: Coordination of stakeholders

Expected Results: Increased communication as well as the infusion of new partners and new

ideas into the core of the current infrastructure may result in even better options and

outcomes for juvenile services in Jefferson County

“Synergy is better than my way or your way. It’s our way.” ~ Stephen Covey

P a g e | 43

Issue Based Priority #1: Connections of Resources; The promotion, awareness, and utilization of

existing programs and services in Jefferson County.

There are a tremendous amount of programs and services available in Jefferson County. However,

there is no central location where all services are listed. It is essential that educational institutes,

community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and government offices, all youth

serving entities, as well as parents and guardians become more aware of available services and

programs in the area. To date, current agencies, services, and programs have not expressed any

concerns regarding minority youth not receiving services or being over-represented in the programs.

Relevant data is found in Section III of this plan.

Contributing factors include large caseloads, administratively burdensome program and grant

requirements, and providers operating in silos.

Strategy # 1: Develop and sustain programs and services database. Year 1 - Research funding to

support the development of a comprehensive and easy to access database of programs and services.

Year 2 - Locate grant writer and secure funds. Year 3 – Contract with a coordinator.

Stakeholders:




Central Plains – PALS


Fairbury Elks Lodge










Hope Crisis Center


Proteus - WIOA





Region V Systems



P a g e | 44



TeamMates


Timeline: Year 1 -by June of 2019, Year 2 -by June of 2020, Year 3 -by June of 2021

Required Resources: Jefferson Community Coalition

Expected Results: Existing programs and services being fully utilized could result in more

services for more juveniles

Strategy # 2: Outreach to Lincoln Medical Educational Partnership for presentations and/or

additional information regarding School Community Intervention Prevention by the Jefferson

County Commissioners and the Community Planning Team.

Timeline: Before the end of 2018

Required Resources: Financial support, training, community support

Expected Results: Increased evidence based prevention services & programs and possibly

reduced youth entering or re-entering the juvenile justice system

“It takes a village.” Hillary Clinton

Issue Based Priority #2: Continue to support & develop prevention education & pathways to

success.

Prevention programs and other services help to improve the lives of young people in our county and

increase their odds of a successful transition into adulthood. There are also programs and services

not currently supported in Jefferson County which could be transformative. To date, current

agencies, services, and programs have not expressed any concerns regarding minority youth not

receiving services or being over-represented in the programs.

Stakeholders Involved

Attendance Support Program: This program focuses on early identification of children of all

ages who are at risk of being suspended or at risk for involvement in the Justice System due

to excessive absenteeism. Many times, students are affected by factors such as finances,

housing, mental health, substance abuse, and transportation. Through community resources,

the program is able to connect families to appropriate services that can assist in addressing

these barriers. The program also addresses concerns that students have while at school, such

as peer relations, teacher conflict, and academic challenges. Students who are required to

enroll in the program have their attendance monitored on a daily basis. If a student’s

P a g e | 45

attendance does not improve while participating in the Attendance Support Program, a

referral to the County Attorney’s Office may occur.

ASP Data from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018:

138 Student Referrals

Jefferson Intermediate – 23

Fairbury Jr/Sr High – 67

Central Elementary – 14

Meridian Public – 23

Tri County – 8

Fairbury Alternative – 3

35 Students Enrolled

18 Students Referred to County Attorney

According to the Department of Education, the following are attendance rates by school for

the 2016-2017 school year:

Fairbury: 94.8%

Tri-County: 97.4%

Diller Odell: 96.7%

Meridian: 94.9%

Resources directly from the Jefferson County 2017-2018 budget contributing to this:

$16,000

Head Start: The Early Head Start program offers slots for residents in Jefferson County who

income qualify with children 0-3 years of age. The Early Head Start Program works with the

family on 0-3 academics as well as social emotional aspects with parents. The Head Start

program services preschool children in the Jefferson County who income qualify. Head Start

works in collaboration with the public schools. The Head Start program works with families

on the social service realm while the preschool children are able to attend preschool for the

academic benefits. Resources directly from the Jefferson County 2017-2018 budget

contributing to this: $100 (Head Start’s allocation of BVCA’s $5,411)

Circle of Security: A parent based group in which families are able to attend 8 weeks of

classes. These classes allow parents to look back on how they were parented and how they

can parent their children. Overall, the program hopes to create better connection between

parent and child.

Connected Youth Initiative: This initiative helps young people connect in their communities

with caring adults, explore opportunities, find resources, and make their voices heard.

Programs and services offered within this initiative include: Youth Leadership, Opportunity

Passport /Financial Literacy & Individual Development Accounts, Coaching, and Youth

Support Funds for emergencies. BVCA oversees the Rural Southeast Nebraska Connected

Youth Initiative (RSNCYI), and partners with many other agencies and programs in 15

counties including Jefferson. As of May 31, 2018 there were 184 youth enrolled in RSNCYI

with 47 enrollments in Jefferson County. Of the 47 enrollments, 4 youth moved out of

Jefferson County, 2 youth aged out, and 41 youth continue to receive monthly coaching.

Family & Youth Involvement Center After-School Program: This program offers academic

assistance, prevention education, computer technology, mentoring, physical fitness, arts and

P a g e | 46

crafts, gardening and food preparation and storage, and civic engagement opportunities to

students in Jefferson County Monday through Thursday. Fridays are reserved for teens only

and provides safe and supervised activities specifically for students in grades 7th

– 12th

. As

of May 31, 2018 the FYI Center completed after school programming for 298 students. Of

those students 93 were provided academic assistance, 71 completed 50 or more volunteer

service hours, 24 completed Higher Education and Career Exploration, 8 completed 2 or

more Why Try modules, 6 completed 3rd

Millennium classes, and 411 students were

supported in the schools or at community events. Resources directly from the Jefferson

County 2017 – 2018 budget contributing to this: $15,000. The FYI Center will also receive

$22,510 in pass through funds from the Crime Commission CB grant.

Court Appointed Special Advocates Program: CASA provides community volunteers who

have completed a minimum of 30 hours of training, attended at least three juvenile court

hearings, and have been sworn in by a judge as a friend of the court. These qualified,

compassionate adults fight for and protect children’s rights to be safe, to be treated with

dignity and respect, and to learn and grow in the security of a loving family. All children

involved in juvenile cases due to being abused or neglect will have a CASA Volunteer

assigned when volunteers are available. Children with a CASA Volunteer are: more likely to

be adopted then to linger in long-term care; half as likely to re-enter the foster care system;

more likely to have a plan for permanency; more likely to do well in school. In 2017, 5

children were served in Jefferson County with 4 active CASA Volunteers. Up to 13 children

were on the waiting list. Resources directly from the Jefferson County 2017 -2018 budget

contributing to this: $12,000

Fairbury Elks Lodge: The Fairbury Elks Lodge invests in Jefferson County through

programs that help young people grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today’s

veterans, and improve the quality of life. The Seeds of Hope Youth Garden is a sponsored

project of the Fairbury Elks Lodge. Adult volunteers from the lodge work side by side with

youth teaching gardening skills and increasing the number of caring adults in the lives of

youth.

Jefferson County Extension Office 4-H: This program prepares young people for successful

futures. Educational programs place a strong emphasis on life skills, such as critical

thinking, problem-solving, social skills, communication, responsibility, citizenship, and

leadership. These skills are fostered through educational programming based on an

experiential learning model. This gives youth the opportunity to participate in hands-on

learning experiences built around the concept of positive youth development, which is

centered on structured out-of-school time learning, leadership experiences, and adult

mentoring. In Jefferson County there are currently 182 youth enrolled in the 4-H program.

Resources directly from the Jefferson County 2017 -2018 budget contributing to this:

$44,100

Jefferson County Diversion is a voluntary program that provides individuals who are

charged with criminal offenses in Jefferson County an alternative to traditional criminal

justice proceedings. The County Attorney is responsible for making a determination

regarding eligibility for the diversion program on a case by case basis by analyzing the

P a g e | 47

seriousness of the offense, history of violence, criminal record, and/or an established pattern

of anti-social behavior. Once a referral has been made to the program by the County

Attorney, the program will utilize a standardized assessment to identify an individual’s

barriers or risks that may have contributed to the underlying offense and/or hinder the

individual’s ability in making positive decisions. The program will formulate a “Program

Agreement” which will outline the requirements that the individual must adhere to and

complete prior to completing the pre-trial diversion program. Often times, the program

focuses on providing educational classes relating to decision making, connecting youth to

community service and pro-social activities, requiring written assignment to allow reflection

upon their past decisions, encouraging satisfactory performance in school, and referring to

substance and mental health professionals when appropriate. Resources directly from the

Jefferson County 2018 -2019 budget contributing to this: $79,858

*The Jefferson County Pre-Trial Diversion Program listed in Priority Area 2 of the 2015-

2018 Juvenile Services Three Year Plan data resulted in 1 County Attorney pre-trial referral

in 2015, 0 County Attorney pre-trial referrals in 2016, and 0 County Attorney pre-trial

referrals in 2017.

Hope Crisis Center: Supports a 24-hour, 7 days per week crisis line, one-on-one advocacy,

temporary shelter, emergency assistance, legal advocacy, medial advocacy, information and

referrals, and community and prevention education. It is through the support and guidance

of Hope Crisis Center's advocates that so many victims and children are given the

opportunity and knowledge of living a life free from violence. It is through this same

advocate support that victims are able to receive appropriate first responses and are also

connected with community resources resulting in safer interventions and climate for

disclosure. Additionally, hundreds of presentations are conducted each year by Hope Crisis

Center in the majority of schools throughout their seven county service area. The purpose of

these presentations is ultimately to prevent sexual and domestic violence by arming students

with the information they need to identify and respond to red-flag behaviors before they

escalate. Hope Crisis Center also tries to instill attitudes and skills that are conducive to

healthy relationships and sexuality. They do age-specific Good Touch/Bad Touch

presentations with children ages 3-12 years to begin the discussion of boundaries, consent,

and appropriate/inappropriate touches early. This empowers children and encourages open

dialogue with caring adults. In addition to elementary programming, Hope Crisis Center

also does sexual assault and dating violence presentations with middle school, high school,

and college students. They have also been invited to implement the Safe Dates curriculum

with increasing frequency. People of these ages are learning how to navigate relationships

and sexuality, so this is an ideal time to encourage healthy attitudes and behaviors.

Resources directly from the Jefferson County 2017 -2018budget contributing to this: $5,678

Probation District #1: Alternatives to Detention (ATD) are designed to be a less restrictive,

targeted intervention to prevent detention and keep youth in their communities. .

Alternatives to detention empower the parents for being responsible for their children, allow

children to remain in their homes, community and school system. Similar to Alternatives to

Detention are Pre- adjudicated services. This time period would begin from the point the

petition is filed with the court until the youth is adjudicated. Services can include: Tracker,

Electronic Monitoring, or Family Support Work. These services should assist in maintaining

P a g e | 48

the youth in their community and prevent further penetration into the juvenile justice

system. The use of the service's should be based on an evidence based assessment process

and administered in a targeted, individualized, least restrictive manner. The pre-adjudicated

time period and services are ordered by the court, Probation or another agency may be

authorized to supervise this time period.

Proteus: Education and employment opportunities to seasonal farmworkers and their

dependents age 14 and up are provided through WIOA.

Public & Parochial Schools in Jefferson County continues to provide quality education

along with many prevention programs and pathways to success.

Local Churches: Churches in Jefferson County supports prevention and pathways to success

through multi-generational mentoring during youth group meetings and activities. This

increases the number of caring adults in the lives of youth involved in youth groups and

youth group activities.

Nebraska Department of Labor: Among other services, NDOL provides training & work

experience opportunities for people ages 14 and up through WIOA.

Region V Prevention System: A collaborative partnership among community coalitions,

service providers, the Youth Action Board, and various community stakeholders in

addressing substance abuse priorities and mental health promotion utilizing the Substance

Abuse and Treatment Block Federal Grant funds. The federal Strategic Prevention

Framework Model is used to drive strategies in each community, which include assessment,

capacity development, planning, implementation, and evaluation, while prioritizing

sustainability and cultural competency. Regional Prevention Coordination provides ongoing

technical assistance and training for all coalition and stakeholders in southeast Nebraska as

well as with statewide partnerships. Data is collected every two years among participating

schools. This data drives coalitions’ annual strategic plans to achieve measurable outcomes.

The Resolution Center: TRC provides a variety of mediation, facilitation, and training

services, including Juvenile Restorative Justice Dialogue. Juvenile Restorative Justice

Dialogue is one of several restorative dialogue models allowing young people and those that

they have harmed to attempt to repair the harm resulting from an offense through safe,

constructive dialogue. Trained facilitators first meet individually with the person who has

been harmed and the person who has caused that harm to listen to the stories of each, and to

determine whether a joint conversation is appropriate and whether each individual

voluntarily wishes to participate. If so, the facilitator convenes a joint meeting in which both

individuals are guided to talk about the offense and its impacts, offer apologies, and propose

a reparation plan. If agreed to, the plan is signed, and is tracked for completion and

fulfillment. There were no referrals or enrollments/participants in the 2017 in Jefferson

County.

P a g e | 49

Public Health Solutions: Rooted in Relationships is an initiative that partners with

communities to implement evidence based practices that enhance the social-emotional

development of children, birth through age 8. One part of this initiative supports

communities as they implement the Pyramid Model, a framework of evidence-based

practices that promote the social, emotional, and behavioral competence of young children,

in selected family childcare homes and childcare centers. In addition, communities develop

and implement a long-range plan that influences the early childhood systems of care in the

community and supports the healthy social-emotional development of children.

Second Step: A universal, classroom-based program for children in kindergarten through

fifth grade, which is designed to increase school success and decrease problem behaviors by

promoting social–emotional competence and self-regulation. The Second Step program

consists of a skills-focused, social–emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that emphasizes

skills that strengthen students’ ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions, and solve

problems. There are separate curricula for each grade to enable teachers to deliver

instruction that is developmentally appropriate and relevant for their students. Each grade

level curriculum includes a total of 22 lessons (23 in Kindergarten) that are organized across

four units: 1) Skills for Learning, 2) Empathy, 3) Emotion Management, and 4) Problem

Solving. The four units cover a range of skills and behaviors such as being respectful

learners, planning to learn, identifying others’ feelings, showing compassion, making

friends, and managing disappointment. Teachers implement the lessons as part of their

normal classroom activities once per week, and each lesson takes roughly 20–40 minutes,

depending on grade level. The Second Step–Elementary program consists of these

classroom lessons, as well as skills review, brief daily practice activities, reinforcement, and

home links.

TeamMates: This is a program dedicated to providing mentoring for students in order to

improve their hope and engagement, thus positively impacting their overall wellbeing and

academic success. The impact of a TeamMates mentor on the mentee is profound, with the

majority seeing improvements in their academic performance and a reduction in the number

of unexcused absences and disciplinary referrals. The program tracks improvements in a

mentee’s ABC’s – attendance, behavior, and course performance. There were 37 matches

the 2016-2017 school year demonstrating the following results:

61% of mentees (students) had academic improvement

87% of mentees had fewer disciplinary referrals

91% had fewer unexcused absences

Relevant data is included above as well as in Section III of this plan.

Contributing factors include funding challenges and generational poverty.

Strategy # 1: Biannual review of prevention program outputs and outcomes

Policies, procedures, practices, referrals as well as resource allocation decisions could be

better informed with biannual reviews of program outputs and outcomes.

P a g e | 50


Programs listed above, Jefferson Community Coalition, Community Planning Team,

Jefferson County Commissioners

Timeline: At least biannually and throughout the 3 year plan

Required Resources: Program data and county budget

Expected Results: Programs potentially strengthened, more informed decisions as to

program referrals, and support

Strategy # 2: Support the implementation of the developing Community Volunteers Program by the

Jefferson County Commissioners and the Community Planning Team.

Timeline: Before the end of 2018

Required Resources: Training and community supported presentations

Expected Results: Increased evidence based prevention services & programs and possibly

reduced youth entering or re-entering the juvenile justice system

“Prevention is better than cure.” Desiderius Erasmus

Issue Based Priority # 3: Mental and behavioral health needs are going unmet in Jefferson

County.

2016 NRPFSS evidences that among students surveyed in Jefferson County there are significantly

higher percentages reporting attempted suicide, consideration of attempted suicide, infliction of

self-harm, (except 12th

grade Local 11.1% & State 11.3%), depression, and lost sleep. Only slightly

more than half of these same students surveyed report having an adult to talk to. To date, there is no

evidence or stakeholder concern that minority youth are under or over represented in regards to

mental health or behavioral health unmet needs in Jefferson County.

Relevant data is located above as well as in Section III of this plan.

Contributing factors include childhood and family poverty, no insurance or under insured, few

mental health providers in rural communities, and transportation.

Strategy # 1: Support trainings and programs to help address mental health and behavioral

health needs including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Question, Persuade and

Refer, Hope Squads in schools, Loss Teams, Wellness Recovery Action Planning Teams,

System of Care.

P a g e | 51


Boy Scouts & Girls Scouts





Fairbury Elks Lodge










Hope Crisis Center

Hope Squads Trainers



Loss Team Trainers



Region V Systems




TeamMates

Youth & Families

Timeline: On-going and throughout the 3 year plan

Required Resources: Social media, email, and/or funding

Expected Results: More well informed and caring adults and a healthier youth population

Strategy # 2: Support current Second Step programming in schools as well as the expansion

of Second Step in other schools in Jefferson County.

Stakeholders:

Youth & Families

Diller Odell Public Schools

Fairbury Public Schools

Meridian Public School

P a g e | 52

St Paul’s Lutheran School

Tri County Public School

Jefferson County


Required Resources: Jefferson Community Coalition, Region V Prevention Systems, Schools,

Federal Block Grant &/or other funding

Expected Results: Gains in pro-social skills and behavior

“The best way out is always through.” Robert Frost

Issue Based Priority # 4: Improving Community Perceptions in Jefferson County

While underage alcohol use and substance use is never acceptable, Jefferson County does not have

significantly higher alcohol or substance use percentages than the state in most of the measured

categories on the 2016 NRPFSS. In some instances usage is significantly lower in Jefferson County

than in the state. According to the 2016 NRPFSS Perceived vs. Actual Past 30 Day Substance Use

perceptions of use of alcohol and marijuana by Jefferson County students are dramatically higher

that actual use reported by their peers.

Jefferson County carries a reputation, inside the county as well as in the surrounding counties, of

high juvenile crime. The reality is that juvenile arrest records from the Jefferson County Law

Enforcement indicate a 40% reduction in juvenile arrests from 2015 to 2016.

Community perceptions discussions during a recent Community Planning Team included a school

administrator sharing with the team that military recruiters are not as active in Fairbury because

they believe a majority of the target population for this career is involved in substance abuse. A

retired Air Force Veteran in the group reported that members of her unit from across Nebraska often

referred to Fairbury as drug infested. Representatives from Region V Systems and Public Health

Solutions reported similar statements while in a meetings in the Region V area. These negative and

untrue perceptions are not only damaging to our youth but may also diminish Jefferson County’s

ability to attract new businesses and families. To date, there is no evidence or indication that the

negative and untrue perceptions in Jefferson County are linked to a specific race/ethnicity.

Relevant data is included above as well as in Section III of this plan.

Contributing Factors: Traditional and social media

Strategy # 1: Use Positive Norms Campaign with media and social media to highlight the

high percentage of youth not involved with drugs, alcohol, truancy, and other illegal

behaviors.


P a g e | 53

Boy Scouts & Girls Scouts





Fairbury Elks Lodge









Hope Crisis Center

Hope Squads Trainers


Proteus – WIOA


Loss Team Trainers




Region V Systems





TeamMates

Youth & Families


Required Resources: Training, possibly funding

Expected Results: Perceptions change and become closer to reality both inside &

surrounding Jefferson County

“What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.” Abraham Lincoln

P a g e | 54

Appendix A

County Board of Commissioners Approval

P a g e | 55

Jefferson County Juvenile Services Comprehensive ...

Documents

Transcript of Jefferson County Juvenile Services Comprehensive ...