Font ResizeLAS CRUCES - In its first five months of operation, the Juvenile Assessment and Reporting Center in Las Cruces has counseled more than 300 at-risk youth, according to a news release.
Most adolescents - 244 - were sent there as a result of Las Cruces Police Department arrests or investigations, while 64 were referred by other law enforcement agencies in the county.
Operated by Families and Youth Inc., the center opened July 1, and encourages concerned parents and guardians to take advantage of its services before their children get into trouble.
"If a youth is displaying negative patterns of behavior, JARC services are available to interrupt those patterns by providing recommendations and referrals to services that can help prevent the youth's behaviors from escalating," said Brian Kavanaugh, director of Juvenile Justice Services. "We would like to keep these at-risk youth from entering the juvenile justice system in the first place."
JARC services are free of charge and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parents or guardians of children 18 and younger can take their at-risk youth to JARC at 1089 W. Amador Ave. at any time or call (575) 532-2598 for assistance.
"Our officers are now spending more time on the streets, or investigating crimes, instead of simply returning these juveniles to the same environment that got them into trouble," said LCPD Chief Richard Williams. "The professionals at JARC are there to point these juveniles, these young at-risk
