Spotlight on Juvenile Justice
The League of Women Voters of Florida supports a juvenile justice system that encourages prevention and diversion and recognizes the special concerns of children and their families.
Delegates to the 1975 League of Women Voters of Florida Convention recognized that elements of both the criminal justice and the social welfare systems are involved in the juvenile justice system and that it should not be considered only from the criminal justice perspective or the social welfare viewpoint.
Juvenile crime is by no means limited to the poor and minorities. However, correlations exist between these problems and school failures, single-parent families, family-related violence (other than the battered child), youth unemployment, gang activity, inadequate medical care — both preventive and remedial and other health and social problems. This correlation with youth crime led to a focus on some of the same problems that have been identified as factors in the perpetuation of the poverty cycle and discrimination.
Florida prosecutes more children in the adult criminal justice system than any other state. The League of Women Voters of Florida seeks to improve outcomes for at-risk youth in Florida by supporting and influencing best practice policies through education and advocacy.
We believe that the juvenile justice system of Florida should be administered by health and social service agencies and personnel. (c. 1976)
Issues for Action:
- Support the increased use of Civil Citations: In the 2016 Stepping Up Report, the Caruthers Institute says: “There now is overwhelming data that juvenile civil citations generate superior results – increasing public safety, improving youth outcomes, and saving taxpayer money.” We are asking local leagues to encourage the use of civil citations instead of arrest whenever it is appropriate.
- Work to decrease the use of Direct File: The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that Florida prosecutes more children in the adult criminal justice system than any other state. Since 2008 more than 13,000 children – some as young as 8 years old – have been prosecuted as adults in Florida through a process called DIRECT FILE!
- Support additional No Place for a Child Coalition (NPCC) reforms to keep our children out of adult jails and prisons.
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS JUVENILE JUSTICE
Juvenile Justice in Florida Co-Chairs: Charlotte Nycklemoe, Jennifer Adams
Join the LWVFL Juvenile Justice Team! You must be a member of the League of Women Voters of Florida or one of our Local Chapters to participate, please become a member HERE.
Join the LWVFL Juvenile Justice Team!
You must be a member of the League of Women Voters of Florida or one of our Local Chapters to participate, please become a member
Latest on Juvenile Justice
from the LWVFL
Additional resources
in Juvenile Justice
How you can get involved
Stay Connected
Sign up to get news and alerts by email
