Charleston County criminal justice council seeks new members

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is looking for community members to join it and fill five open positions.

The council always has 12 community member positions and is now seeking applicants who have lived experience or work to fill some of those seats.

Residents voted onto the council will serve two-year appointments which run from 2026 to 2028. There are open roles working in fields like civil rights, local business, health care and the Hispanic community, as well as a community-designated liaison.

The positions are based on community experience and do not require prior knowledge of the criminal justice system.

Originally founded in 2015, the council is a combination of community leaders, elected and senior officials, representatives from law enforcement, judicial and court officials, behavioral health specialists and both victim and legal advocates.

Ellen Steinberg, the director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, said community input helps shape how the sheriff’s office, public safety agencies and county council serve residents.

With more lived experience, conversations allow county leaders to hear firsthand what safety concerns or community concerns a priority should be.

“The community brings us what’s happening on the ground,” Steinberg said. “Those of us in the criminal justice system, we have... an echo chamber because we look at each other, we know the system so well, but the community representatives reflect what’s happening in the community. They can tell us what their priorities are, what their concerns are.”

The council meets once a month with all law enforcement and county council represented and is open to the public. Through past meetings, the council has identified six community concerns such as youth safety, case processing in jails and mental wellbeing in neighborhoods.

Steinberg said personal perspectives from community members help the council focus its work.

“When we have our community members personalize it, that takes it to a whole different level,” Steinberg said. “And it gives it, it helps us to really focus on what is it that we’re doing? How can we help our community and at the same time keep the community safe?”

Applications are open until June 24 at 5 p.m. and can be found here.