In early 1988, a group
of Gaston County citizens led by State Senator Helen Rhyne Marvin, District
Attorney Calvin Hamrick, and Senior Superior Court Judge Robert Kirby began
planning a new program, which was designed to impact North Carolina's prison
overcrowding and the rising cost of taxpayer dollars spent to incarcerate
non-violent offenders. Gaston County Community Penalties cam into existence
that year as a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization. Later as services expanded
to Cleveland and Lincoln counties, the Program was re-incorporated as
Alternative Community Penalties Program, Inc., (A.C.P.P., Inc.)
A.C.P.P., Inc. is now
the corporate umbrella for several different programs that all work with the
same population. These programs have all proved to be very cost effective for
the taxpayers of North Carolina and the citizens of Gaston, and Cleveland
counties over the last twenty-eight years. Today, ACPP, Inc. continues to
provide a wide range of innovative services that enhance the safety of all the
citizens it serves. In addition to Gaston County Court Services and
the Restorative Justice Center, ACPP, Inc. operates The Gaston County Jail
Substance Abuse Treatment Programs, The Women's Program at the RJC, and the Cornerstone Christian Center.
The
Program was awarded a Second Chance Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice
for assisting offenders in the community re-entry process in Gaston County. The
Program employs a large staff of certified, licensed, substance abuse
professionals in Gaston County and partners with Partners Behavior Mental Health to find inpatient and
outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment services within and
outside the Gaston County area. |
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