
Sonya Harper has been Director of Mecklenburg County's Criminal Justice Services Department since June 2016. Harper came to the County from The National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she worked as project director and point of contact for the National Drug Court Resource Center. In that role, she provided instruction and technical assistance on program development and program improvement processes to more than 2,800 drug courts throughout the United States and its territories.
Harper is a proven leader in the principles of problem-solving courts, having presented on evidence-based and research supported practices at the national level. Harper's prior work experience includes serving as the director of Wake County Drug Treatment Courts and as substance abuse program manager at A New Dimension Substance Abuse Counseling Service in Lenoir, NC.
Harper earned a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and a master of public administration degree from Appalachian State University. She has multiple professional certifications, including substance abuse counseling, cognitive behavioral intervention, self-defense tactics, and many others.
Strategic Business Plan
FY2020 - FY2022 Strategic Business Plan
Department Key Initiatives
Director Workplan
Director Workplan
Employee Climate Survey (ECS)
FY17 ECS Results
Department Budget
FY19 Criminal Justice Services Budget