THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 24, 1995 TAG: 9508240521
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
The juvenile justice system should be toughened to reflect a new philosophy that public safety is more important than rehabilitating errant youths, a state commission recommended Wednesday.
The Governor's Commission on Juvenile Justice Reform received about 50 recommendations from its subcommittees. After a series of public hearings, the commission will present a final report to Gov. George Allen this winter.
Preliminary recommendations include trying and sentencing the worst teenage criminals as adults, opening juvenile court proceedings to the public and using military-style discipline on first-time offenders.
Attorney General James S. Gilmore III, the commission chairman, had proposed many of those reforms at the panel's first meeting last May.
``The task that we set for ourselves was a daunting one - nothing less than the complete overhaul of Virginia's system of juvenile justice,'' Gilmore said Wednesday.
The Allen administration claims sweeping reforms are needed to combat a surge in juvenile crime. Virginia's juvenile crime rate increased by 21 percent between 1980 and 1993 while the national rate decreased 4 percent, the state Department of Criminal Justice Services says.
But even more alarming to many state officials is the types of crimes being committed by children. The number of juveniles arrested for violent crimes increased 66 percent, and the murder arrest rate climbed 277 percent between 1980 and 1993.
The first subcommittee recommendation delivered to the full commission was to rewrite a code section that lists ``welfare of the child'' as the top priority. Public safety would be substituted as the No. 1 goal.
``While we believe rehabilitation is a goal that can be attained in many cases, it should not be the primary goal,'' said Paul Larkin, an Alexandria attorney who chaired the subcommittee.
Patricia West, director of the Department of Youth and Family Services, said the system's priorities must change because of the increasingly violent nature of juvenile crime.
``None of us want to give up on the kids who can be helped,'' she said. ``We definitely want to strike a balance'' between protecting the public from violent offenders and rehabilitating young offenders.
Larkin's subcommittee suggested automatic transfer to adult court when juveniles 14 or older are charged with violent felonies. Prosecutors would be given discretion to try similar cases involving younger children in adult court.
West's subcommittee recommended that juveniles convicted and sentenced as adults be segregated from older prisoners. Juvenile offenders who cause trouble in prison could be transferred to facilities with older inmates.
Her panel also recommended creation of three regional ``boot camps,'' where military-style discipline would be used on nonviolent offenders.
A similar program connected to schools was suggested by another subcommittee. The program would be given a trial run in Richmond and Charlottesville before being considered for statewide implementation.
Two state senators who serve on the commission - Democrat Benjamin Lambert of Richmond and Republican Edgar Robb of Charlottesville - said the ``alternative education'' program would emphasize discipline, academics and parental involvement. by CNB