Circuit 13 advisory board forms Innovation Zone subcommittee to design juvenile-justice pilots

The Circuit 13 Advisory Board voted to create an Innovation Zone Subcommittee and named board member Conchita Canty Jones as chair during its meeting in Tampa.

Conchita Canty Jones, who presented the statutory framework, cited Florida Statute 98.668 and urged the board to use the subcommittee to “propose at least one innovative zone . . . for the purpose of implementing any experimental pilot or demonstration project that furthers the legislative established goals of the Department,” language she read from the statute during the discussion.

Rob Parkinson moved to create the subcommittee and nominate Canty Jones as chair; a board member seconded the motion and the nomination was approved by the body. Canty Jones accepted the role and said the subcommittee will define problems, set measurable outcomes, and identify funding and timelines.

Board members discussed several possible focus areas raised during the meeting, including career and workforce linkages for justice‑involved youth, homelessness among youth after release from DJJ supervision, and programs addressing domestic‑violence–related cases. Several members volunteered to serve, including youth representative Quinn Rainbow and board member Marques Thomas; Chair Hammersley instructed the secretary to record volunteers for the roster.

Parkinson and Chair Hammersley asked the newly formed subcommittee to meet at least once before the next full council meeting and to work within Sunshine Law requirements when scheduling. Parkinson said the subcommittee will consult stakeholders — DJJ leadership, the state attorney, the public defender, law enforcement, and others — before finalizing proposals.

The subcommittee has been tasked with producing a problem definition, a plan with measurable performance outcomes, and a proposed budget or funding strategy for any pilot the group recommends. The board did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript; the motion was moved, seconded and approved by voice during the meeting.