Douglas County Sheriff’s Office adds position to connect young people with education

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has a new position focused on connecting justice-involved young people to educational opportunities. It’s meant to be proactive and offer support the whole way through.

The Youth and Family Engagement Specialist at the Sheriff’s Office works directly with young people, community organizations and Metropolitan Community College. Alexcia King moved into the role as a way to offer second chances for kids and young adults who have been involved with the justice system.

“They are the people that's going to be leading, that's going to be voting, that's going to be running this country, running the city,” King said. “So why not give them an opportunity to be successful now and teach them how to be productive members of society?”

Although King said other sheriff’s offices don’t offer a similar position, she hopes this pilot program will inspire counties across the state.

King was a probation officer before starting the role, but she found her passion was more about reaching young people and connecting them with resources for success. Her program connects them, along with acting as sort of a support team, with the MCC micro credentialing program so they can earn the skills necessary to work up toward a career.

“Working with justice-involved youth and young adults, I see that sometimes their charge is a reflection of who they are, they're not given an opportunity or a chance to show that they made a mistake,” she said. “And I always tell them when I was an officer, that I'm one decision away from being on the opposite side of this table.”

King clarified she is not a police officer, and that cities and counties cannot “arrest the problem away.” She works with her clients on soft skills, mock job interviews and resume building, among other skills.

Spencer Head, the executive communications coordinator for the sheriff’s office, said he's seen King’s success in the short time she's worked there.

“The only way to break cycles of crime, cycles of poverty, is to be proactive. Is to get involved and help, you know, help people change their situation,” he said. “That's exactly what this program is about.”

King said one of the biggest obstacles she foresees in her role is convincing her clients they are capable of success and feeling comfortable with someone who trusts they can reach their full potential.

According to an annual report from the Nebraska Judicial Branch, in 2024, the recidivism rate for juveniles was 16.7%. That’s down from 17.8% in 2021.

The program had a sort of pre-pilot in the summer of 2023, according to Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson. Through that initial pre-pilot, they learned the young people needed end-to-end-case management, which is what King can now provide. She is starting with a caseload of 25.

"[King's] role will really be not only to case manage the young person, the young adult, but also to case manage the people and the expectations of the people who surround that young person," Hanson said. "I suspect it's going to have a high likelihood of paying off as long as we can truly get a healthy team approach and investment and engagement from all the players."

The new program operates through a referral system and can also support young adults who have gone through the foster system or who are experiencing homelessness.

Hanson said he would be "tickled pink" if in five years, King and the team has been able to expand the program to meet the needs of more system-involved teens and better outcomes. He hopes this program can become a template for other programs on the state and even the national level.