Alaska State Legislature

News From The House Majority

Ken Freeman, Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http//www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Measure Sheds Light on Juvenile Offenders

For Immediate Release: January 29, 1997 Contact: Rep. Pete Kelly (907) 465-2327

JUNEAU - Two legislative initiatives linked to remove the veil of secrecy surrounding juvenile criminals, HB 6 and HCR 4, passed the House Health, Education, and Social Services Committee Tuesday. HB 6 releases certain information to the public about repeat juvenile offenders, and felony level juvenile offenders.

HCR 4 is a technical rider to HB 6. It provides the administration the directive it needs from the Legislature to restructure the Division of Family and Youth Services in such a way juvenile records may be released with minimal impact on federal funds.

"Currently, even violent offenders move unnoticed among our neighborhoods and schools because state law forbids their crimes to be made public. HB 6 changes that by making records of teen felons and repeat misdemeanants public," said Representative Pete Kelly, sponsor of HB 6.

Rep. Kelly said identities of young criminals are kept secret in an attempt to protect the futures of these young offenders.

"Unfortunately secrecy has had the unwanted effect of enabling these people in their life of crime. Young people who commit serious crimes are able to walk about the next day without any reaction from their elders or teachers, their crimes become invisible, and they develop the pathology of the serious criminal predator," said Kelly.

"The way the current system is set up, the rights of the juvenile offender are more important than the rights of the victim and potential victims - this is a clear threat to public safety. We don't know when our kids are playing with felons, serious predators or drug abusers," said Kelly.

"By saying only the professionals can have this information - we are saying as a community that only they can deal with the problem and as a result we have abdicated our responsibility and abandoned some of the kids who need us the most," said Kelly. "Secrecy keeps us from coming to the aid of these troubled youth as a community."`

Rep. Kelly will be participating with the Governor at a 10:30 press conference January 30 to discuss Youth and Justice issues.

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