Advocates Say To New Chief – Adopt Our 5-Point Plan
( St. Petersburg, FL) - Representative Frank Peterman, a Democrat from St. Petersburg, stepped out of the Florida Legislature this morning and into the position of Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice at a press conference held by Governor Charlie Crist in that city. In addition to his legislative duties, Peterman was the development director of a charitable organization that provides prevention and early intervention services to youth. Up until his appointment, he served on the House Juvenile Justice Committee. Roy Miller, President of Children’s Campaign, Inc., told the media that Peterman is “thoughtful and has experience”. For the Miami Herald article on the appointment, click here.
Children’s Campaign, Inc. immediately called on the new Secretary to adopt a 5-Point Plan for Juvenile Justice Reform which was released to the media the previous day in partnership with the Florida Juvenile Justice Association and Florida Network of Youth & Family Services.
These three groups first envisioned and supported the creation of the Juvenile Justice Blueprint Commission which released its full report at a press conference in Tallahassee on Tuesday, February 5. The findings – contained in 52 recommendations to reform the state’s juvenile justice system - chart a balanced approach that will protect the public safety while turning around the lives of troubled youth. To read the full Blueprint Commission report, click here.
The 5 Point Plan is designed to ensure that the reform report does not merely collect dust on a shelf, like so many reports that have preceded it in this state. The 5-Point Plan calls on Florida leaders to provide for a strong and independent Department of Juvenile Justice, equitable public safety funding with the Department of Corrections, consistency in leadership at DJJ, a reconvening of the Blueprint Commission annually to oversee progress on the reform agenda, and the immediate introduction of sweeping legislative remedies appearing in the report. To read the press release including the 5-Point Plan, click here.
Examples of changes in legislation include but are not limited to the following:
- Codify Blueprint Commission oversight of DJJ reform efforts
- Legislature will direct OPPAGA to develop a fiscal impact report for the implementation of the Blueprint recommendations.
- Divert children 10 years of age and under, and first time misdemeanants from the arrest, intake and adjudication.
- Strengthen the domestic violence laws so that law enforcement at the scene of a family dispute has more options to intervene appropriately.
- Ensure that all children receive legal representation in all court proceedings beginning with detention hearings.
It appears to be the overall consensus that this reform is much needed. Commissioned Chairman Frank Brogan, former lieutenant governor of Florida, responded to the media this week about whether or not the system can be reformed. “I’m an eternal optimist. I have rarely, if ever, used the word ‘hopeless,’ I work with children every day and it can’t be hopeless with them. Failure is not an option here.”
The Blueprint Commission was supported by charitable gifts extended by the Eckerd Family Foundation, JEHT Foundation, and Jessie Ball duPont Fund.
The recommendations of the Blueprint Commission, along with the suggested 5-Point Plan offered by advocates and juvenile justice stakeholders, are a proactive approach to the urgent reform needed in the state’s juvenile justice system.
Reform must also embrace changes in budget philosophy. Said Roy Miller to the Florida media, “We don’t invest enough in early childhood education, we don’t invest enough in Kidcare, we don’t invest in after school programs, and so problems develop and as a result we’re going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions of dollars, throughout the state budget to address problems that could have been prevented.”
This Breaking News story was brought to you by:
Christen Smiley, Communications Coordinator
Roy Miller, President
Children’s Campaign, Inc.