Georgia Juvenile Justice Trends and Legislative Update

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1 Georgia Juvenile Justice Trends and Legislative Update P R E S E N T E D B Y R O B E R T R O S E N B L O O M R E T I R E D D E P U T Y C O M M I S S I O N E R D J J A N D A T T O R N E Y A T L A W A S S O C I A T I O N O F C O U N T Y C O M M I S S I O N E R S O F G E O R G I A L E G I S L A T I V E L E A D E R S H I P C O N F E R E N C E O C T O B E R 3,

2 Brief History of Juvenile Justice First Juvenile Court established in 1899 Georgia has had current juvenile code since 1976 State of Georgia and DJJ sued by U.S. D.O.J. in 1998 Discussions begin on need for juvenile code rewrite in 2006 Bill introduced for Code Rewrite in

3 You Know the Type Looking for Trouble Start Young Then Watch Out! They just keep on coming! (Pop. Projections) Everyone knows a troubled kid.

4 JUST FRIENDS OR CRIMINAL ASSOCIATES?

5 Beliefs Children can change their behavior when provided the appropriate environment, incentives, and resources. Families are the most powerful influence in a child s life. Partnerships with parents, local communities, other government agencies, and private citizens create opportunities and conditions necessary for young juvenile offenders to mature into healthy, self-sufficient adults.

6 Accountability

7 Balanced and Restorative Justice Is not a program. Is a mission or philosophical framework. Is a different way of responding to crime in communities and criminal justice systems.

8 Georgia DJJ At-Risk Population growth FY2007 FY2011 Negative or No Growth Up to 5% Growth 5% to 10% Growth Over 10% Growth

9 Juvenile Intake and Probation Services Independent County DJJ Shares Services Baldwin Banks Barrow Bartow Bibb Burke Butts Catoosa Chattooga Cherokee Clarke Columbia Dade Dawson Elbert Fannin Fayette Forsyth Franklin Gilmer Greene Habersham Hancock Haralson Hart Heard Jackson Jasper Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Jones Lamar Lincoln Lumpkin Madison McDuffie Meriwether Monroe Morgan Murray Oconee Oglethorpe Paulding Pickens Pike Polk Putnam Rabun Richmond Rockdale Screven Stephens Taliaferro Towns Union Walker Warren Washington White Wilkes Wilkinson Carroll Douglas Henry Newton Upson Walton Clayton Cobb Coweta Crawford De Kalb Floyd Fulton Gordon Gwinnett Hall Spalding Troup Whitfield Glascock Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Ben Hill Berrien Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan Bulloch Calhoun Camden Candler Charlton Chatta hoochee Clay Clinch Coffee Colquitt Cook Crisp Decatur Dodge Dooly Early Echols Effingham Emanuel Evans Grady Harris Irwin Jeff Davis Johnson Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Long Lowndes Macon Marion McIntosh Miller Mitchell Montgomery Muscogee Pierce Pulaski Quitman Randolph Schley Screven Seminole Stewart Sumter Talbot Tattnall Taylor Telfair Terrell Thomas Tift Toombs Treutlen Turner Twiggs Ware Wayne Webster Wheeler Wilcox Worth Houston Chatham Crawford Dougherty Glynn Peach

10 What is the Juvenile Code? O.C.G.A. Title 15, Chapter 11 Applies to young people who violate the law or are victims of abuse or neglect. Establishes jurisdiction, and sets the rules and Establishes jurisdiction, and sets the rules and procedures of the juvenile court.

11 Legal Definitions Delinquent child means a child who has committed a crime and is in need of treatment and rehabilitation. Delinquent child does not have a criminal record. Unruly child or status offender is a child who habitually and without justification is truant, disobedient, ungovernable or commits an offense only applicable to children ( curfew violation, smoking, etc.)

12 The Proposed New Juvenile Code The Child Protection and Public Safety Act Senate Bill 127 and HB 641 Senator Hambrick sponsoring in the Senate Representative Willard sponsoring in the House Supported by Governor Deal and Speaker Ralston Vote is expected this legislative session

13 Why re-write the juvenile code? Poor outcomes for children in Georgia: school achievement, graduation rates, pregnancy, employment, and violent deaths compared to youth across the nation. Outcomes for those entering the juvenile justice system due to delinquency or deprivation can be even worse. Judges and lawyers who use the current code every day describe it as difficult to use, lacking in clarity, and outdated. The code does not reflect research-based best practices.

14 Major Issues in the Proposed Juvenile Code New approach for status offenders (CHINS) Reorganization of Code How to handle competency issues Right to an attorney and costs Involvement of Prosecuting Attorney on each case. Costs

15 Issues for Georgia and Counties Philosophy Impact of Budget Cuts Costs to the County and the State What can we afford vs. what we want Juvenile court s responsibilities and DJJ What is the potential impact of a new juvenile code How to impact juvenile delinquency Social and Family issues and the impact Use of secure detention

16 Regional Youth Detention Center Locations (RYDC) Detention Population Issues Dade Walker Chattooga Catoosa Floyd Whitfield Fannin Murray Gilmer Lumpkin Stephens Gordon Pickens Dawson Banks Franklin Hart Cherokee Hall Bartow Forsyth Jackson Madison Elbert Habersham Polk Cobb Barrow Clarke Paulding Gwinnett Haralson Carroll Heard Troup Towns Rabun Union White Oconee Wilkes Lincoln Douglas DeKalb-2 Walton Fulton Morgan Columbia Newton Greene McDuffie Fayette Henry Warren Coweta Butts Jasper Putnam Richmond Spalding Hancock Meriwether Harris Talbot Muscogee Stewart Quitman Clayton Rockdale Clay Calhoun Dougherty Early Baker Oglethorpe Taliaferro Glascock Pike Lamar Baldwin Monroe Jones Washington Jefferson Burke Upson Chatta hoochee Macon Marion Schley Randolph Terrell Lee Mitchell Miller Seminole Webster Bibb Wilkinson Jenkins Crawford Johnson Screven Twiggs Taylor Dooly Sumter Crisp Decatur Grady Thomas Emanuel Bleckley Candler Houston Laurens Treutlen Bulloch Peach Pulaski Dodge Wilcox Telfair Liberty Ben Hill Long Turner Appling Irwin Worth Coffee Bacon Wayne Tift Pierce Berrien Atkinson Glynn Colquitt Cook Ware Brantley Brooks Lowndes Lanier Echols Wheeler Montgomery Jeff Davis Toombs Evans Bryan Tattnall Chatham Camden Clinch Charlton Effingham McIntosh 20 centers Serve over 17,000/yr. Diverse population Managing Population Alternatives

17 Secure Detention Population Detention Superior Court Cases Pre-adjudicated STP Awaiting Placement Competency Status Probation Violators

18 National Initiatives Use of assessment instruments Less reliance of secure facilities Positive Youth Programs Restorative Justice Community Service Learning Evidence Based

19 CAN T DEPEND ON LUCK BUT KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED!