- So we've got windows that wrap all the way around this corner of the building.

- [David] Chief District Court Judge, Jay Corpening, has experienced a lot of new recently.

Not only is he proud of the new Juvenile Justice Center in New Hanover County, he also has a new perspective as a judge.

- When I start my day, I start with the sort of premise that everybody who walks through that door has experienced trauma.

- [David] This new perspective is part of what's called a trauma-informed court system.

The idea is to help people with trauma and prevent them from becoming entangled in the criminal justice system.

- I'm gonna insist on accountability for misconduct or whatever the issue may be, but I'm gonna treat these people with dignity and respect and I'm gonna encourage them to be better.

- [David] It's work that's come as a result of the Chief Justice's ACEs-Informed task force.

The task force began in 2021 and its goal is to infuse the science of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, into the court system of North Carolina.

One of the pilot programs is in District five, which includes New Hanover and Pender counties.

- In the entire time I've been District Attorney, I've never seen anything like this in terms of excitement by people seemingly from different backgrounds, all coming together for the same thing.

- District Attorney Ben David says the goal is to attack the issue upstream.

Children with high ACE scores are at higher risk of developing mental health concerns and substance misuse disorders, which can then turn into criminal justice events.

- For drug addiction and for mental illness, we need to find alternatives to incarceration and we need to be involved in therapeutic justice.

In other words, navigating people to community-based alternatives.

- Blue seats, because blue is the calming color, - [David] And with all the new going on, this is the work that Judge Jay Corpening says he's most excited about.

- That has brought a coalition together across the spectrum of silos in our community, bringing them together, so that we're able to collaborate more effectively, to be a healthy community.

- [David] It's work that's providing help and hope to those who need it.

For "ncIMPACT," I'm David Hurst.