By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 18, 2011

A program designed to give juvenile law-breakers a chance to avoid arrest records will be bolstered around the state under bills approved by the House last week and on track for passage in the Senate.

Employing what are known as civil citations, the program provides social services for first-time youthful offenders who commit certain nonviolent crimes and allows them to take responsibility for their actions without having to enter the juvenile justice system.

"This bill is a really important first step in our juvenile justice reform efforts," said Wansley Walters, secretary of the state Department of Juvenile Justice, speaking before a Senate committee that approved the bill sponsored by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico.

The bills drew support from both sides of the political aisle, as well as from law enforcement, public defenders and business interests. The House vote to approve its version was unanimous.

"Sounds like we're in debate and it's a rah rah," joked Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, chair of the House criminal justice subcommittee, as members chimed in with praise for the idea.

"We can be judged by how we treat our children in perpetuity," said Rep. Darryl Rousson, D-St. Petersburg, during House debate of the bill sponsored by Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota. "I urge you members to pass this unanimously off this floor so we are sending the message that our young people are important to us."

Hillsborough County is one of several jurisdictions around the state that already have a program, which was already on track for expansion in June.

The county's school-based program has been expanded to the streets in unincorporated areas of the county in the last few months for juveniles caught committing petit theft.

In June, the program is scheduled to be expanded to encompass more offenses, including criminal mischief, trespassing, disorderly conduct and simple assault. County officials expect the program also will be expanded to Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace.

"It gives an opportunity for kids who do stupid things to have an opportunity to be a productive citizen," said Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who created the county's Juvenile Justice Task Force.

The program has existed in the county since 2005. In the last school year, 197 youngsters participated; so far this school year, there have been 144 participants, according to sheriff's Col. Greg Brown.

In January, Sheriff David Gee clashed with Beckner's task force over its plans to expand civil citations, saying they needed to move more slowly.

But Col. Jim Previtera said last week that the sheriff is a proponent of the program and of its expansion, and was just not happy with the consultant who evaluated it for the county.

"The sheriff has never been opposed to civil citation," Previtera said. "He has worked to expand civil citation. We have been the ones leading the way."

Previtera said the sheriff's office has expanded the program steadily, but Gee did not agree with what he saw as a proposal to "suddenly enact drastic changes. …We have continuously managed the expansion of civil citation in a controlled manner intended to maximize its' effectiveness as a diversion program."

The program, Beckner said, gives youngsters an opportunity to "complete their higher education, to go into the military or obtain gainful employment without having a criminal arrest record."

Previtera agreed.

"We've found that in a lot of cases, civil citation has been the break a kid needs to overcome what otherwise is a youthful indiscretion," he said.

"You can't give them a continuous blank check; you can't give them a break every time. …Youthful indiscretions are just that, if they don't rise to the level of violence, substance abuse or deviant behavior, then it's appropriate in certain circumstances to give them a break, a second chance."

Current state law encourages counties and cities to have civil citation programs; the new measures would mandate that local jurisdictions have either civil citations or similar programs. The bills also would require the Department of Juvenile Justice to help with the implementation and improvement of the programs.

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