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Mohave County probation officials report rise in juvenile weapons referrals and ADJC commitments
Summary
Juvenile Probation presented data showing increases in violent and weapons referrals since FY2022, more Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections commitments, and local interventions including stakeholder meetings, a gun‑detection K‑9 agreement and safe-storage efforts.
Mohave County Probation presented data April 21 showing a rise in juvenile violent-and-weapons referrals and an increase in Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) commitments.
Josh Frisbie, director of Juvenile Court Services, and Deputy Director Natalie Eggers told the Board of Supervisors that Mohave County saw violent-or-weapons referrals rise from 1.58% of referrals in FY2017 (23 referrals) to 3.68% in FY2024 (51 referrals). Eggers said the county recorded 13 weapons referrals from Jan. 1 through April 1, 2025—about three per month—and noted the juvenile detention average daily population was about 13 youth during the same period.
The presenters said Mohave County ranks second in the state for ADJC commitments (behind Maricopa County) as of late 2024: county commitments rose to 26 juveniles in December 2024 from lower totals earlier in the decade. Frisbie and Eggers said increases in vehicle burglaries and thefts have correlated with firearms-related offenses, and that many offenders are 15–16 years old.
Probation staff described recent steps taken with community partners: a stakeholder meeting on March 26 that included judges, law enforcement, school personnel and mental‑health professionals; an informal agreement with San Bernardino County probation for access to a gun‑detection K‑9 for searches; coordination with local law enforcement (Mohave County Sheriff, Kingman PD, Bullhead City PD, Lake Havasu City SROs); development work with the Administrative Office of the Courts and Arizona Supreme Court on a statewide gun-safety curriculum for justice-involved youth; and distribution of gun locks to families to reduce unauthorized access.
Frisbie said the juvenile courts and probation treat weapons and violent offenses as public-safety priorities, as reflected by rising commitment numbers. Supervisors asked about partnerships and local program pilots; Frisbie said additional cross-system meetings and data sharing are planned. There was no formal vote; the briefing concluded with a request for continued stakeholder collaboration.
Ending: Probation urged sustained cross-system coordination and prevention efforts, including curriculum work, safe-storage distribution and continued data-sharing to track trends and evaluate interventions.
