Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Justice Prevention Act / Kyl Amendment
This year, Congress is expected to re-authorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). The JJDPA provides critical protections to youth in the juvenile justice system. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has announced he will introduce an amendment to the act, which would remove the determination as to whether a youth is tried as an adult or juvenile from an impartial judge to the prosecuting attorney. The General Board of Church and Society and the Desert Southwest Conference are greatly concerned about the damage this amendment will cause, and are working to stop it. Questions: Contact Billie(at)desertsw.org.
To that end, stories that share the pain of sentencing juveniles in an adult system and a need for ongoing reform are being sought. If you have stories, story leads, or questions, please send them to Steve(at)desertsw.org.