Modernize the Juvenile System.

 

The purpose of this bill is to improve states ability to respond to youth offenders. By focusing more on rehabilitation

rather than traditional confinement practices.

 

Punishment alone doesn’t ensure youth wont reoffend. Without proper rehabilitation the mental health of juvenile

offenders won’t be properly addressed leaving them with no motivation to change there lives for the better.

 

“Rehabilitation” shall be defined as helping a person learn and grow and change their behavior so they can successfully

return to their community.

“Traditional confinement practices”

shall be defined as keeping young people in detention or correctional facilities as punishment without any focus on

helping them learn and grow.

“Juvenile” shall be defined as a individual under the age of 18 in regards to the law.

 

The funding for this bill would come from the state government’s Juvenile Justice or Corrections budget and Mental

Health Budget. Along with some Federal funding through grants.

 

The penalty for any juvenile center not focusing on rehabilitation would be facing financial and administrative

penalties. Financially those facilities would get reduced funding and Administratively facilities would risk losing

state certification. Or facilities would face a 10,000 yearly fine.

 

Upon passage this bill will come into affect May 10 2026