Circuit 13 Advisory Board members heard updates on operational changes affecting juvenile processing and pre-arrest civil citations.

Director Judy Royston said pocket cards explaining civil citation procedures have been distributed to local agencies including Temple Police, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Temple Terrace Police and Plant City Police, and that the juvenile diversion program has received cards for outreach. Royston also reported October data for pre-arrest delinquency citations and explained that many charges reported for the month were misdemeanor batteries.

Board members and DJJ staff discussed the live-scan fingerprint installation and transition of FDLE access from the sheriff's office to DJJ. Speakers said the installer is expected to complete setup in December, followed by training. Once the hardware and access are working, the board plans to develop standard operating procedures for handling civil-citation youth at the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC), then circulate those procedures to stakeholders (state attorney, sheriff's office and others) for review.

Vice Chair Rob Parkinson and other board members said they intend to study successful models in Polk and Pinellas counties to increase civil citation issuance locally. The board noted the Board of County Commissioners recently approved funding for security at the JAC; in the near term private security (under sheriff oversight) will continue while the new arrangements are implemented.

The board did not vote on new policy during this segment but asked staff to draft procedures and return for stakeholder review.