Summary
In Neil Peirce's thoughtful Forum column about how the U.S. incarceration rate burdens taxpayers, he makes excellent points about community-based programming being a cost-effective alternative to prison. As he notes, Connecticut is one of five states that spends more on prisons than on higher education! Peirce does not discuss the juvenile justice system, which is less costly than the adult penal system, or the fact that minors who remain in the juvenile system, where they have greater access to counseling and education, are far less likely to get involved in more serious crimes than peers prosecuted as adults.
Yet, Gov. M. Jodi Rell has proposed to delay "Raise the Age" legislation passed in 2007 that would keep nonviolent 16- and 17- year-olds in the juvenile system. Connecticut is one of only three states that automatically sends these youths to adult court, though we do not allow those under 18 to vote, sign a contract, purchase liquor or enroll in the regular military. Let's be consistent in defining who is a juvenile, and place these youthful offenders where they belong.See the full content of this document
Extract
State Would Save with Youths in Juvenile System?
In purely financial...
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