Senate Bill 2358

    Florida Senate - 1998        (NP)                      SR 2358

    By Senator Silver





    38-1723-98

  1                    Senate Resolution No.     

  2         A resolution recognizing March 15-21, 1998, as

  3         Juvenile Justice Week.

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  5         WHEREAS, the Legislature has authorized a juvenile

  6  justice continuum of care which creates a balanced approach

  7  between prevention and commitment services through a dedicated

  8  partnership that includes the Department of Juvenile Justice,

  9  juvenile justice district boards, county councils, sheriffs,

10  police chiefs, public defenders, juvenile judges, school

11  districts, not-for-profit organizations, and private providers

12  of services, and

13         WHEREAS, the State of Florida is becoming recognized as

14  a "bellwether" state for its reforms and progress through the

15  delivery of juvenile justice services and programs that do

16  more than simply provide shelter and control youths' behavior,

17  but help delinquents make a successful transition back into

18  their communities, and

19         WHEREAS, between 1987 and 1997, Florida's

20  10-to-17-year-old age group increased 19 percent while the

21  volume of cases entering the juvenile justice system increased

22  by 76 percent, and

23         WHEREAS, there are fewer serious felonies being

24  committed by juveniles than prior to the adoption of the

25  "Juvenile Justice Act" of 1994, despite a growth in the

26  teenage population, and

27         WHEREAS, stopping juveniles from entering or

28  progressing any farther into the juvenile justice system will

29  require special emphasis in the areas of prevention and

30  intervention and the support of the legislature, law

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1998        (NP)                      SR 2358
    38-1723-98




  1  enforcement, other state agencies, businesses, local

  2  communities, and organizations, and

  3         WHEREAS, the Department of Juvenile Justice has made

  4  great strides in promoting local government and community

  5  involvement by creating partnerships to meet local needs as

  6  identified by thousands of local leaders and citizens who

  7  contributed 30,000 volunteer hours in the last year, and

  8         WHEREAS, the juvenile justice system, including the

  9  Department of Juvenile Justice and its partners, is committed

10  to further reducing the overall juvenile crime rate, NOW,

11  THEREFORE,

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13  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

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15         That the Senate does, hereby, recognize the week of

16  March 15-21, 1998, as Juvenile Justice Week, and does urge the

17  support and participation of all citizens in making a

18  conscious effort to prevent juvenile crime.

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