By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune
Published: January 21, 2011
TAMPA - Expanded and streamlined use of civil citations for juvenile offenders who commit misdemeanor crimes or other non-violent offenses would help turn around troubled youth, members of Hillsborough County's Juvenile Justice Task Force told county commissioners Thursday.
The citations, which have been used with success by the county school system, punish lesser crimes with community service and keep juveniles from having a criminal record that can ruin their adult life.
"We believe civil citation is going to be very instrumental in making sure youth that make mistakes are given an opportunity to succeed by finishing their education, getting a job, serving in the military, without the black mark of an arrest record," said Commissioner Kevin Beckner, a member of the task force.
Beckner was making his first report to the commission on the task force's work over the past year. No commission action was taken.
Dewey Caruthers, a consultant who works with the task force, said civil citations have been shown to keep juveniles from reoffending and allow law enforcement and the courts to spend time and money on more serious criminals. The citations have to be coupled, Caruthers said, with appropriate services, such as substance abuse treatment, anger management and family counseling.
But what if the money for services is not available, asked Commissioner Victor Crist, a former state senator. The state is facing a budget deficit for fiscal 2011 of between $3.5 billion and $4 billion, and Crist said juvenile justice funding is likely to be hit hard by lawmakers.
Beckner said the task force has not addressed funding yet, but he anticipates working with existing agencies, such as the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, which is financed through a dedicated property tax. Beckner said the commission should also evaluate the many agencies that work with children and get county funding.
"We need to be very focused and make sure our dollars are going where we get the best results," he said.
The task force also wants to reduce the number of black children referred to the court system. Black youth made up 50 percent of the referrals to the county juvenile justice system in fiscal 2008, though only 22 percent of children in the county between ages 10-17 were black.
Beckner said he thought civil citations could help alleviate some of the disproportionate numbers.
He was challenged, however, by Commissioner Les Miller, who asked why none of the task force's paid consultants were black or Hispanic.
Beckner pointed out that the task force included members of the Abe Brown Ministry and Pastors on Patrol, groups that work with youth in the black community. He said that as the task force begins to address "social issues" it will include more minorities.
Mike Salinero
(813) 259-8303