NCJ Number
171718
Date Published
1998
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This survey examines the public's opinion of the Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender Act of 1997 (S. 10).
Abstract
Among other provisions, S. 10 would: (1) allow teenagers arrested for crimes to be housed in adult jails for indefinite periods; (2) allow arrested status offenders to be jailed with adults for 24 hours or longer on weekends and holidays; (3) make juvenile felony arrest records available to colleges to which teenagers apply later in life, even if the youths were never convicted; (4) designate funds for punishment and detention facility construction but not for prevention; (5) require that States expel teenagers from high school for up to 6 months for regular use of tobacco; and (6) give Federal prosecutors sole, non-reviewable discretion to try juveniles as adults for all felonies. Respondents overwhelmingly opposed housing juveniles in adult jails, jailing status offenders with adults, sharing arrest records with colleges, expelling students for smoking, and granting prosecutors sole discretion for trying juveniles as adults. Respondents strongly supported setting aside funds in the Act specifically for juvenile crime prevention programs. Notes