Atlanta – Two weeks after releasing its Issue Analysis on criminal justice reform for adults, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation today released “Five Essential Principles for Georgia’s Juvenile Justice System,” a new Issue Analysis that focuses on how Georgia policy-makers can enhance and improve the way the state deals with juvenile offenders.
The Issue Analysis was written by Jeanette Moll, a juvenile justice policy analyst in the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Kelly McCutchen, president and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. The two organizations are sister think tanks. The Issue Analysis discusses how rewriting the Georgia’s juvenile justice statutes can improve the chances of nearly 50,000 youths in the system each year to become contributing citizens instead of career criminals.
“We want to ensure that today’s wayward youth has an optimal chance to become part of Georgia’s productive workforce of tomorrow,” said McCutchen, who leads the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative.
“Right now, up to 60 percent of juvenile offenders commit another offense within three years of leaving a secure state facility. There are levels of criminality, and it’s crucial that we embrace, to the extent possible, a community- and family-based approach that improves the system’s success rate. That will promote juvenile justice solutions that take less of a toll, both on taxpayers and on public safety.”
For example, the Issue Analysis points out, learned behavior, or “peer deviancy training,” is likely to increase among low-level and nonviolent offenders who are detained next to more dangerous juveniles..
The principles to guide reform proposed in the Issue Analysis are to provide the least restrictive placements for low-level offenders; include comprehensive analyses of each offender to improve the chances of appropriate treatment; focus on the family when “status” offenses (such as curfew violations or truancy) are involved; avoid formal processing for first-time and low-level offenders, and detain youths before adjudication (hearing or trial) only if they pose a risk to public safety.
This Issue Analysis, which was released one day after Georgia legislators received legislation to tackle adult criminal justice reform, is part of the Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative. At a news conference announcing the bipartisan effort at criminal justice reform in February 2011 at the state Capitol, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal thanked the Georgia Public Policy Foundation “for its leadership and focus on the issue, which heavily impacts families’ lives and taxpayers’ pocketbooks.”
“The Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative pushed the problems to the forefront, proposed practical solutions, brought in leaders from other states to share examples, and created this nonpartisan opportunity,” Deal added.
To read the Issue Analysis on juvenile justice reform, click on this link: “Five Essential Principles for Georgia’s Juvenile Justice System.”
Read the Issue Analysis on adult criminal justice reform here: “Peach State Criminal Justice: Controlling Costs, Protecting the Public.”
About the Georgia Public Policy Foundation: The Foundation, established in 1991, is an independent, state-based think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. The Foundation’s regular events include Leadership Breakfasts and Policy Briefing Luncheons. Weekly publications are the Friday Facts and Friday Idea commentaries. Visit our Web site at www.georgiapolicy.org. Join The Forum at http://forum.georgiapolicy.org/ . Become a fan of the Foundation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gppf.
Atlanta – Two weeks after releasing its Issue Analysis on criminal justice reform for adults, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation today released “Five Essential Principles for Georgia’s Juvenile Justice System,” a new Issue Analysis that focuses on how Georgia policy-makers can enhance and improve the way the state deals with juvenile offenders.
The Issue Analysis was written by Jeanette Moll, a juvenile justice policy analyst in the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Kelly McCutchen, president and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. The two organizations are sister think tanks. The Issue Analysis discusses how rewriting the Georgia’s juvenile justice statutes can improve the chances of nearly 50,000 youths in the system each year to become contributing citizens instead of career criminals.
“We want to ensure that today’s wayward youth has an optimal chance to become part of Georgia’s productive workforce of tomorrow,” said McCutchen, who leads the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative.
“Right now, up to 60 percent of juvenile offenders commit another offense within three years of leaving a secure state facility. There are levels of criminality, and it’s crucial that we embrace, to the extent possible, a community- and family-based approach that improves the system’s success rate. That will promote juvenile justice solutions that take less of a toll, both on taxpayers and on public safety.”
For example, the Issue Analysis points out, learned behavior, or “peer deviancy training,” is likely to increase among low-level and nonviolent offenders who are detained next to more dangerous juveniles..
The principles to guide reform proposed in the Issue Analysis are to provide the least restrictive placements for low-level offenders; include comprehensive analyses of each offender to improve the chances of appropriate treatment; focus on the family when “status” offenses (such as curfew violations or truancy) are involved; avoid formal processing for first-time and low-level offenders, and detain youths before adjudication (hearing or trial) only if they pose a risk to public safety.
This Issue Analysis, which was released one day after Georgia legislators received legislation to tackle adult criminal justice reform, is part of the Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative. At a news conference announcing the bipartisan effort at criminal justice reform in February 2011 at the state Capitol, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal thanked the Georgia Public Policy Foundation “for its leadership and focus on the issue, which heavily impacts families’ lives and taxpayers’ pocketbooks.”
“The Foundation’s Criminal Justice Initiative pushed the problems to the forefront, proposed practical solutions, brought in leaders from other states to share examples, and created this nonpartisan opportunity,” Deal added.
To read the Issue Analysis on juvenile justice reform, click on this link: “Five Essential Principles for Georgia’s Juvenile Justice System.”
Read the Issue Analysis on adult criminal justice reform here: “Peach State Criminal Justice: Controlling Costs, Protecting the Public.”
About the Georgia Public Policy Foundation: The Foundation, established in 1991, is an independent, state-based think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. The Foundation’s regular events include Leadership Breakfasts and Policy Briefing Luncheons. Weekly publications are the Friday Facts and Friday Idea commentaries. Visit our Web site at www.georgiapolicy.org. Join The Forum at http://forum.georgiapolicy.org/ . Become a fan of the Foundation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gppf.
