§ 143B-819.  Regional detention services.

The Division is responsible for juvenile detention services, including the development of a statewide plan for regional juvenile detention services that offer juvenile detention care of sufficient quality to meet State standards to any juvenile requiring juvenile detention care within the State in a detention facility as follows:

(1) The Division shall plan with the counties operating a county detention facility to provide regional juvenile detention services to surrounding counties. The Division has discretion in defining the geographical boundaries of the regions based on negotiations with affected counties, distances, availability of juvenile detention care that meets State standards, and other appropriate factors.

(2) The Division may plan with any county that has space within its county jail system to use the existing space for a county detention facility when needed, if the space meets the State standards for a detention facility and meets all of the requirements of G.S. 153A-221. The use of space within the county jail system shall be constructed to ensure that juveniles are not able to converse with, see, or be seen by the adult population, and juveniles housed in a space within a county jail shall be supervised closely.

(3) The Division shall plan for and administer regional detention facilities. The Division shall carefully plan the location, architectural design, construction, and administration of a program to meet the needs of juveniles in juvenile detention care. The physical facility of a regional detention facility shall comply with all applicable State and federal standards. The programs of a regional detention facility shall comply with the standards established by the Division. (1998-202, ss. 1(b), 2(f); 1998-217, s. 57(3); 2000-137, s. 1(b); 2011-145, s. 19.1(l), (t); 2017-186, s. 1(t5); 2021-180, s. 19C.9(aa).)