Senate Bill sb2732

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                  SB 2732

    By Senator Smith





    14-1825-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the juvenile justice system;

  3         amending s. 985.02, F.S.; requiring

  4         gender-specific programming within the

  5         Department of Juvenile Justice for children in

  6         this state; requiring the Office of Program

  7         Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

  8         to conduct an analysis of gender-specific

  9         programs in the Department of Juvenile Justice;

10         providing certain gender-specific information

11         to be included in the analysis; providing an

12         effective date.

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14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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16         Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 985.02, Florida

17  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is added to that

18  section, to read:

19         985.02  Legislative intent for the juvenile justice

20  system.--

21         (1)  GENERAL PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN.--It is a purpose

22  of the Legislature that the children of this state be provided

23  with the following protections:

24         (a)  Protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

25         (b)  A permanent and stable home.

26         (c)  A safe and nurturing environment which will

27  preserve a sense of personal dignity and integrity.

28         (d)  Adequate nutrition, shelter, and clothing.

29         (e)  Effective treatment to address physical, social,

30  and emotional needs, regardless of geographical location.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                  SB 2732
    14-1825-04




 1         (f)  Equal opportunity and access to quality and

 2  effective education, which will meet the individual needs of

 3  each child, and to recreation and other community resources to

 4  develop individual abilities.

 5         (g)  Access to preventive services.

 6         (h)  An independent, trained advocate when intervention

 7  is necessary, and a skilled guardian or caretaker in a safe

 8  environment when alternative placement is necessary.

 9         (i)  Gender-specific programming and gender-specific

10  program models and services that comprehensively address the

11  needs of a targeted gender group.

12         (8)  GENDER-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING.--

13         (a)  The Legislature finds that the prevention,

14  treatment, and rehabilitation needs of youth served by the

15  juvenile justice system are gender-specific.

16         (b)  Gender-specific programming refers to unique

17  program models and services that comprehensively address the

18  needs of a targeted gender group. Gender-specific services

19  require the adherence to the principle of equity to ensure

20  that the different interests of young women and men are

21  recognized and varying needs are met, with equality as the

22  desired outcome. Gender-specific programming focuses on the

23  differences between young women's and young men's roles and

24  responsibilities, positions in society, access to and use of

25  resources, and social codes governing behavior.

26  Gender-specific programs increase the effectiveness of

27  programs by making interventions more appropriate to the

28  specific needs of young women and men and ensuring that these

29  programs do not unknowingly create, maintain, or reinforce

30  gender roles or relations that may be damaging.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                                  SB 2732
    14-1825-04




 1         (c)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and

 2  Government Accountability shall conduct an analysis of

 3  programs for girls within the Department of Juvenile Justice.

 4  The analysis shall address the nature of girl offenders in

 5  this state, the percentage of girls who are incarcerated in

 6  the juvenile justice system for status offenses and violations

 7  of probation, and whether these girls could be better served

 8  in less costly community-based programs. In addition, the

 9  review shall analyze whether existing juvenile justice

10  programs are designed to meet the gender-specific needs of

11  girls and an analysis of the true cost of providing

12  gender-specific services to girls.

13         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

14  law.

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17                          SENATE SUMMARY

18    Requires gender-specific programming for children in the
      juvenile justice system. Requires the Office of Program
19    Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct
      an analysis of gender-specific programs in the Department
20    of Juvenile Justice. Provides that certain
      gender-specific information be included in the analysis.
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