Boulder DA backs bill to review cases against juveniles charged as adults - Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder DA backs bill to review cases against juveniles charged as adults - Boulder Daily Camera Boulder Rep. Claire Levy is reviving a bill that was vetoed in 2008 that would require judges to review prosecutors' decisions to charge juveniles as adults. The Colorado District Attorneys' Council opposes the legislation, because representatives believe charging is a prosecutorial decision that should remain with district attorneys. But Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said he supports the measure, because the decisions to charge juveniles as adults is "life-changing," making them worthy of review. "I think that it's such an important decision to file on someone as an adult that I have no hesitation saying that when I make the decision, I want that decision to go before and judge and have someone review it," Garnett said. Colorado law used to require serious juvenile cases to go before a judge before the youths could be charged as adults, but that changed after a summer of gang violence in 1993. Now, juveniles ages 14 and older can be charged as adults based solely on the discretion of the charging district attorney's office. That has led to more juveniles being charged as adults, prosecutors said. Levy's bill would require a judge to decide on adult charges in cases involving defendants who are 14 or 15. Those who are 16 or 17 still could be charged as adults directly, but the bill would give them an opportunity to have a "reverse-transfer hearing." During that hearing, the teens could petition a judge to return them to the juvenile system, Levy said.
2 comments:
Rep Levy and DA Garnett are on the right track, however why not all those under eighteen be treated the same. Lets either do it right according to what the law intended to treat all kids as juveniles and quit giving people like carol chambers special powers over human lives.
my son is 16 years old and has been sitting in an adult county jail for almost two years. yes he made mistakes and has taken full responsibilty for those, but he is a child in a mans world and though he took a vehicle, he never has harmed anyone. the juvenle judge in our couty in my oppinion makes the rules as he goes along, and no attorney or anyone can stop it what he says goes, and thats the end. what is this doing to help americas kids? nothing but making them so much worse. my son has seen things that most people wont see in their entire lives, including me. why is it that 18 is the age to be an adult with anything else, except in the courtroom? what possitivity could possibly come from this? i believe there is a limit to what and how much punishment is enough and too much, what if that was your child? signed, a desperate mother...
charlianahmltn@yahoo.com.sg
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