Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department

History Miami mentoring event. Children learning about Miami's History

Your mental health matters. Call or text 988 for free, confidential help whenever you need it. You don’t have to face tough times alone. 💚💙

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This week, Director Bess joined Opa Locka Police Interim Chief Robin Starks and members of her department at a community forum to engage with local residents. Director Bess provided an overview of JSD services and explained the County’s juvenile curfew.

JSD donated essential school supplies to students at Goulds Elementary and Robert Ingram Elementary to help them start the year strong! Proud to support our youth and their future. 💙 💚

Honoring the brave heroes who gave their lives for our freedom. We remember and thank you today and always.

Division Director Cristina Molina joined the little ones at O’Farrill Learning Center at Perrine for a HotSpot Reading session on manners! A fun and meaningful way to teach kindness—one page at a time.

Investing in early childhood education is key to building a brighter future—one page at a time!

Let’s move beyond awareness to acceptance and inclusion—creating a world where everyone thrives.

✅ Educate.
✅ Advocate.
✅ Embrace neurodiversity.

Together, we can make a difference!

Thank you, FAWLEP for recognizing Director Bess!

✨ Celebrating Women’s History Month ✨

Celebrating Leadership and Impact: Honoring Latawun Bess for Women’s History Month

This Women’s History Month, we proudly celebrate Latawun Bess, the Director of the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department (JSD). With 24 years of dedicated service, Ms. Bess has been a fierce advocate for at-risk and incarcerated youth, working tirelessly to create positive change in our community.

Through her leadership, she has pioneered innovative programs that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, including alternatives to arrest and violence reduction initiatives, all integral components of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s Peace and Prosperity Plan.

Ms. Bess is committed to the holistic well-being of youth, promoting trauma awareness, and fostering resilience through her work with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). As a subject matter expert, Ms. Bess conducts training across Southern Florida on a risk assessment tool based on Florida Statutes.

Her impact extends beyond her professional roles—she serves as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and is an active member of various influential organizations such as the National Assessment Center Association, the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Children’s Commission and the Florida Association of Women Law Enforcement Professionals (FAWLEP).

She holds a degree from Miami-Dade College and a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Florida International University.

Ms. Bess’s work not only supports youth but also strengthens our entire community, building a future of opportunity and growth for all.

This month, FAWLEP honors Ms. Bess’s enduring impact and the brighter future she is helping to create for us all.

We are !👏👏👏

💙🖤💛

📚 Early literacy fosters imagination, builds language skills, and strengthens emotional connections.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to engage with children and witness their excitement as stories come to life. Every book opens a new world of possibilities!

Let’s continue to inspire a love for reading—one page at a time!

Mentoring children, thank you, Miami-Dade Fire Department for a great tour.

Today, we made a lot of connections and new friends at the No Wrong Door Resource Fair at North Shore Medical Center. Thank you to and everyone that came out to support the community.

Today, Director Bess joined an incredible group of people to support the Women’s Fund at —championing women, girls, and lasting change!