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Naple News
Panel visits Southwest Florida to look at reasons for juvenile
crime October 20, 2007
by Ann Marina
Felony offenses committed by
juveniles in Florida increased by 4 percent over the last two years,
and the number of youths being transferred to adult courts rose
sharply, by 17 percent this past year.
To address the increase in crime
and other key concerns for at-risk juveniles, public hearings were
held in the Bonita Springs area this past week by the Florida
Blueprint Commission for Youth.
Created by the Department of
Juvenile Justice, the commission has 25 members who are community
leaders and policy experts. Six public hearings are being held
throughout the state this fall, and the commission will make its
recommendations to Gov. Charlie Crist in December.
Commission Chairman Frank Brogan is
Florida Atlantic University’s president and is a former lieutenant
governor.
“We’re looking at what’s being done
well, and what needs to change,” Brogan told commissioners,
professionals, and community members gathered as the hearing began
Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Estero.
“The success of this commission
depends on participation from those familiar with juvenile justice
concerns in your community,” Brogan said.
Juvenile recidivism, the
over-representation of minority youths in detention, and an
increasing rate of girls entering the justice system are some of the
issues being examined by the Blueprint Commission.
One of the youngest speakers at the
public hearing was Nathaniel Young, 19. A resident of Palm Beach
County, Young recently graduated from the Broward Intensive Halfway
House. He’s currently attending ATI Vocational and Community College
in West Palm Beach, working toward a career in air conditioning and
refrigeration.
Young is also studying business
administration, and would like to have his own business.
“What helped me stay out of trouble
was finding a trade I enjoy and getting excited about my positive
future,” Young said. “Kids need confidence and support to develop
career goals. I’m glad I was encouraged to pursue my interests.”
“Zero tolerance” is another issue
currently under scrutiny by the Blueprint Commission. Under this
policy, a student possessing any drug or weapon on a public school
campus may be arrested and possibly expelled and charged with a
crime.
“Since the enforcement of zero
tolerance, there’s been a spike in juvenile misdemeanor arrests in
Florida,” Brogan said. “The way the policy is interpreted and
enforced has brought many young people into the juvenile justice
system, causing them to be labeled as criminals for life.”
Some schools are now making
adjustments in their handling of the zero tolerance policy, Brogan
said.
“Many communities have responded to
the effects of the policy and are finding ways to keep schools safe
by dealing with chronic offenders while striving to keep youth out
of the juvenile justice system,” he said.
Cynthia Noonan serves on the
Juvenile Justice Council in Indian River County, and works with
EdOptions, a private company providing educational products for
alternative study programs.
“Kids who drop out of school are
more likely to develop delinquent behavior,” she said. “I encourage
the Blueprint Commission to address dropout prevention and support
after-school programs.”
Between 3 p.m and 6 p.m. on
weekdays, there’s a peak in crimes committed by youth.
Noonan attributes this to the
“latch-key kid” syndrome, where children come home from school to an
empty house.
“We have so many single-parent
families now, and many parents work two jobs,” she said.
Bill Naylor, manager of the Lee
County sheriff’s Juvenile Assessment Center, thinks more parental
involvement would help reduce the juvenile crime rate.
“We processed about 5,000 youth at
our center during 2006,” he said. “I see many parents and agencies
reacting, instead of responding. We need to develop relationships
with our youth, and make better efforts at prevention.”
“Jail does not rehabilitate a kid,
as some parents seem to think it does,” Naylor added. “Rather, it
puts them in with other kids who are in trouble, and increases their
chances of committing more crimes.”
Jeff Shicks directs a youth program
in Fort Myers called The Bridge.
“We did an informal poll of kids in
the area, and the main complaints we heard were that their parents
don’t spend time with them, or they don’t listen to them,” he said.
“We try to provide the support and quality time that some youth are
lacking at home.”
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Contact Ann Marina at
writerannak@yahoo.com
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