Criminal Justice Alternatives
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To provide relevant information and program services to the Juvenile, District and Superior Court of Wake County, North Carolina.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- -0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 86%
- Employees
- 29
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $110,959, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 42 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 379% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $297,952 spent. Capital Area Teen Court operates as a first-offender peer-managed misdemeanor court, the judge of which is either an elected district court judge or a practicing attorney. The juvenile offender is sentenced by a jury of peers during the court hearing. The court teaches accountability, consequences and practical experiential learning about the mechanics of misdemeanor sentencing and legal processes as it relates to first offender juvenile defendants. Successful completion of the court-ordered sanctions results in complete dismissal and expungement of all charges brought to the Teen Court. Capital Area Teen Court defendants may be sentenced to the Youth Development Group as a possible sanction for the offense that was ordered at their Teen Court hearing. The Youth Development Group provides various skill-based educational experiences, pro-social group interactions, and an array of other hands-on activities to address communication, respect for authority, and appropriate decision-making. The group has between six (6) to ten (10) youth. It is offered for twelve (12), one and one half (1 1/2) hour sessions, twice a week, with parents attending the first and last sessions. The group is led by two adult professionally-trained, expert staff.
- $836,094 spent. The Pretrial Services/Monitoring Program provides pertinent information to the First Appearance District Court judge at the person's first appearance court hearing after being arrested and booked into the Wake County jail. The information includes prior criminal history, need for special conditions (e.g. no contact for domestic violence offenders, mental health history/needs, physical health history/needs) that are relevant for release considerations. Pretrial Services staff verifies the defendant's information with an uninvolved reference person suggested by the defendant. The Program allows certain defendants to be monitored in the community at minimal cost to the county, work to support themselves and their families while they are waiting for the Court case to be resolved.All offenders who are ordered to the Pretrial Release Program must report to their case manager on the next business day following their release from jail custody. The person is required to appear at all scheduled court dates, contact their assigned case manager (or designee) weekly on a specific day, and not be arrested for any additional charges. Additionally, they must comply with all pretrial release conditions ordered by the judge and keep the case manager informed of any changes of residence. Pretrial Services Program staff request revocation of pretrial release if the offender does not comply with the contact schedule or if the offender obtains new charges or violates any of the conditions set by the court while on pretrial release. Should any of the aforementioned situations arise, an order is written by the court and the defendant is rearrested and returned to the jail custody.
- $949,273 spent. The Pretrial Services/Monitoring program provides electronic monitoring, including Continuous Alcohol Monitoring, Electronic Monitoring and Electronic House Arrest, in a manner that provides an enhanced level of safety for Wake County citizens and surrounding communities while safely reducing the Wake County jail population.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1977.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.