Cheryln K. Townsend was selected following an extensive process that netted 69 applicants for the job. They were screened and interviewed by a professional consultant. Finalists then met with a panel of internal and external stakeholders and were required to make presentations to department staff before meeting with Reilly.

Reilly’s appointment of Townsend will be considered for ratification by the County Commission at its Nov. 15 board meeting. Townsend is expected to begin working for the county Jan. 2.

"Ms. Townsend is extremely qualified for this position," said Reilly. "I have selected her as my final choice because of her diverse work experience and commitment to solving issues that negatively affect juvenile offenders, their families and the entire community. For more than a decade Ms. Townsend has implemented critical services designed to reduce juvenile crime. "

Until recently, Townsend served as the director of juvenile court services at the Superior Court of Arizona in Phoenix (1996 to 2005). Prior to that Townsend was the director of community services at the Texas Youth Commission in Austin, Texas (1989-1995); and director of the victim/witness assistance division for Travis County in the District Attorney’s office in Austin, Texas, (1987 to 1989).

"I am honored to have been selected as the director of Juvenile Justice Services," said Townsend. "This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a community that is committed to best practices in juvenile justice, to excellence and to collaboration.  I look forward to working with a broad network of individuals to not only continue to provide regional juvenile justice services in Clark County, but also to improve those services and their results."

As director of Clark County Juvenile Justice Services (DJJS), Townsend will oversee intervention services, guidance and control for children ages 18 and under who are involved in delinquency. Additionally, Townsend will continue to manage a number of ongoing programs including the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) along with county management and the Juvenile Justice Services administration.

JDAI is committed to implementing programs designed to lower the population in the detention center, as well as develop community-based programs created specifically for young people.

Currently, DJJS employs a total of 352 fulltime employees and 214 part-time employees. There are a total of 235 beds at the detention center, 100 beds at the Spring Mountain Youth Camp, and 12 beds at the Spring Mountain Youth Camp halfway house.

Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy, who has been the acting DJJS director since the departure of Kirby Burgess on Sept. 9, will remain as the acting director until Townsend takes office.

Townsend holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas, a master’s degree in public administration from Southern Methodist University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rockford College.

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