Reducing and preventing crime is one of the top goals of New Hanover County government. As Director of the Community Justice Services Department, Kathy A. Stoute oversees the operations and programs that are leading toward a safer community. She is responsible for the development of community and public safety-related intervention and prevention programs for high risk youth, their families and criminally involved adults. The department focuses on a goal of keeping juveniles from becoming involved with the criminal justice system and has realized a one percent recidivism rate among more than 200 school students involved with the prevention programs offered.
Kathy’s professional experiences span over 30 years in the military, educational, and mental health fields. She believes investment in human capital should be first and foremost. Her leadership, coupled with a willingness and caring attitude, shows the right balance of business savvy, strategic acuity and humanistic engagement that leads to successful outcomes. Through the department’s pre-trial release program, youth empowerment and treatment court services, Kathy and her staff are developing a culture that embodies the New Hanover County model of good governance.
Kathy received her Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology from East Carolina University and is a United States Marine Corps veteran. Outside the office, she enjoys quality time with family and friends.
