Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Senate Approves Juvenile Crime Bill

Unanimous Vote Indicates Alaskans Ready to Tackle Growing Problem

For Immediate Release: May 8, 1998 Contact: Rep. Pete Kelly at (907) 465-2327.

Juneau -- The Alaska Senate today joined the House in unanimously approving House Bill 16, the Juvenile Crime Bill, a major piece of the Republican-led House and Senate Majority's "Commitment to Alaska.". The measure authorizes communities to get more involved with minor offenders. The measure permits communities to become involved with the intake process for juvenile offenders and allows children to be taken to civil court for minor offenses.

"Alaskans are more concerned that ever about the increasing severity and frequency of youth crimes, especially among younger children," said Representative Kelly (R-Fairbanks), sponsor of HB 16. "House Bill 16 recognizes that juvenile crime is a community problem and it's the communities that can provide the solutions.

"It is not so important that we have severe responses to serious crimes, but that we have some response to all crimes," Kelly said. "Freeing up communities to get involved in the process will allow us to react to youth early, when they commit less serious crimes and when they are more easily rehabilitated," Kelly said

HB 16 also brings additional resources to treat troubled youth, allowing the state to authorize and license semi-secure and secure residential treatment facilities for minors. "We know that far too many of the kids in our youth delinquency facilities have mild-to-serious mental health problems. It would be far better to treat these individuals in residential settings rather than in lock-down facilities with the worst of our juvenile offenders," Kelly said.

"Minors with alcohol or substance addictions, Attention Deficit Disorder, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and other treatable problems are all-too-often ignored until they commit a crime," Kelly said. "HB 16 patches the mesh in our safety net for troubled youth."

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Broadcasters note: Comments are available on the House Majority Line at (800) 478-6540.
= Pete Kelly, 97 K