INC NEWS - Legislative Agenda and NCAWARE

[Newman Aguiar]

NCAWARE is a much needed initiative that provides an automated statewide
warrant repository to maintain and track criminal processes and offender
information.  This initiative has continued to suffer from underfunding and
persistent delays and the Technology Services Division of the Administrative
Offices of the Court continually fails to accomplish its own goals.  Please
contact me privately if you would like a copy of the letter from the Durham
Crime Cabinet to DOC Secretary Theodis Beck encouraging him to ensure the
timely completion of NCAWARE.

 

Please write a brief note to our legislative delegation and encourage them
to ensure that there and no more delays and that NCAWARE is implemented and
deployed across the state by the end of this year.

 

For more information on NCAWARE, see the following annual reports from the
Technology Services Division:

 

 
<http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/CRS/Technology/Documents/annual_report_2006.
pdf> 2006 Annual Report

 
<http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/CRS/Technology/Documents/annual_report_2005.
pdf> 2005 Annual Report

 
<http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/CRS/Technology/Documents/annual_report_2004.
pdf> 2004 Annual Report

 
<http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/CRS/Technology/Documents/annual_report_2003.
pdf> 2003 Annual Report

 

Thank you to all who called or wrote to our legislative delegation in
support of the legislative agenda.  You calls and letters are making a
difference.  Please continue to make the case to:

 

*	Seek legislation for increases to Durham County's court expenses to
assist in areas of immediate need. (Item 7)
*	Seek legislation to raise the compulsory school attendance age.
(Item 6) 

 

The State bears the responsibility for allocating sufficient funds to ensure
that the Criminal Justice system functions properly, specifically the
judicial component.  Years of poor funding have left the system in disarray
with agencies competing for scarce resources.

 

Please communicate to members of our legislative delegation that they must
take immediate steps to:

*         address the judicial crisis in Durham by allocating sufficient
funds to provide the necessary resources to meet current caseloads

*         close the gaps between the adult and juvenile criminal justice
systems

*         pay particular attention to and properly fund the juvenile justice
system

*         develop legislation that supports and enhances the sharing of
critical information between agencies

*         fund the deployment of technology that promotes standards,
improves court processes and business practices, and enhances collaboration
between agencies and the community

 

Please call or email members of the legislative delegation to urge them to
act on the priorities.  Click on the names below to view contact
information.

NC Legislative Delegation: House
 
<http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID
=572> Larry D. Hall 
 
<http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID
=71> H.M. Michaux, Jr. 
 
<http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID
=63> Paul Luebke  
 
<http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID
=503> W. A. (Winkie) Wilkins 

NC Legislative Delegation: Senate
 
<http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=Senate&nUserI
D=143> Bob Atwater 
 
<http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=Senate&nUserI
D=228> Floyd McKissick 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Following is the entire text of the relevant items from the list of
priorities:

 

6.  Seek legislation to raise compulsory school attendance age. An act to
increase the compulsory school attendance age to 17 in 2008-2009 and further
increase to 18 in 2010-2011 was introduced, and a few similar bills were
filed in 2007. H1790 to Raise the Compulsory Attendance Age and reduce the
dropout rate and establish a task force for 100% graduation by 18 passed the
House and was left in Senate at the close of session. This bill, sponsored
by Rep. Angela Bryant, is eligible for consideration by the General
Assembly. In Durham, for school year 2006-07, our high school graduation
rate was 66.3%, a decrease from the preceding year, compared to 69.5% for
the state. To increase the graduation rate, we providing assistance to the
Durham Public Schools in the implementation of their High School Completion
Plan and supporter other efforts to raise the attendance age to 18.

 

7. Seek legislation for increases to Durham County's court expenses to
assist in the following areas: 

*         Management audit and funding to address problems identified in the
Office of Probation to ensure proper staffing, training, supervision and
better use of technology to assure adequate monitoring of probationers. 

*         Funds to prepare evidence for presentation in court (charts,
diagrams, maps, PowerPoint's, etc.) 

*         Funds for witness protection and accommodation during trials
(lodging, meals, transportation, etc.) 

*         Additional Court personnel to include: One District Judge; 6
Clerks; 5 ADA's; 4 Magistrate's; 3 Victim Witness Liaisons, along with funds
for state's probation office. 

 

* * * * * * * * * *

Cheers.

 

Newman

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