Scott PowersMay 29, 2019
8min444
Says her own options after term all remain open.
Tag: juvenile justiceImage via AP.
Scott PowersMay 29, 2019Scott PowersMay 31, 2018
7min420
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham is rolling out her criminal justice reform platform to include reduced sentencing for non-violent offenders, decriminalization of minor marijuana possession, tighter rules for charging juveniles as adults, and a new level of review for death penalty prosecutions. In a news release issued by her campaign Thursday, Graham contended that Florida […]
Guest AuthorFebruary 15, 2018
5min443
More than 1,100 children were prosecuted as adults in Florida last year — taken from their homes, removed from their schools, and locked up in adult jails. Although children’s brains are still developing, and they cannot fully understand the consequences of their actions, our criminal justice system treats some of them like grown adults. They […]
Ana CeballosJanuary 15, 2018
4min229
A Senate panel on Tuesday will consider two measures that would provide more oversight to the state’s juvenile justice system, which is under scrutiny for its widespread use of unnecessary and excessive force on youth detainees. Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Pinellas County Republican who chairs a powerful criminal justice committee, is sponsoring both bills and […]
A.G. GancarskiDecember 28, 2017
3min310
Gov. Rick Scott trumpeted a 42-year low in juvenile arrests Thursday in an attempt to secure a double-digit pay hike for youth correctional workers. Governor Scott said, “Our state has made significant strides in reforming our juvenile justice system and I am proud to announce today that juvenile arrests have dropped to a historic 42-year low. Today’s […]
Jim RosicaMarch 5, 2017
9min261
This is the first legislative session that South Florida’s Oscar Braynon II will be the Senate’s Democratic Leader. The 40-year-old, who succeeded term-limited former Leader Arthenia Joyner, was first elected in 2011 after serving in the House and on the Miami Gardens City Council before that. Though he’s in the minority, Braynon has high hopes […]
Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterDecember 20, 2016
4min429
Sen. Anitere Flores has filed a bill to decriminalize youthful transgressions, a top priority for Senate President Joe Negron. Flores, a Miami Republican and the Senate President Pro Tempore, filed Senate Bill 196 on Tuesday. The measure allows law enforcement officers to issue juveniles who admit to committing a first-time misdemeanor a civil citation or […]
Mitch PerryFebruary 24, 2016
4min430
A Senate committee passed a bill Wednesday to create a list of first-time misdemeanors that would lead to civil citations instead of arrests for youths under 16 years of age. The legislation, sponsored by Rockledge Republican Thad Altman (SB 408), would in most cases lead to civil citations instead of arrests. Juveniles would be diverted to perform community […]
Ryan RayJanuary 13, 2016
4min334
A bill to “streamline” the process for minors to expunge their criminal records bill passed unanimously in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. A pair of Tampa Bay area Republicans – Rep. Chris Latvala of Clearwater and prime co-sponsor Rep. Chris Sprowls – filed the bill (HB 147) in September. The bill would cut a break to […]
Melissa RossNovember 10, 2015
5min337
State Attorney Angela Corey celebrated 34 years as a prosecutor in Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit this week (excepting, of course, the short span when she was fired from the office by her predecessor, Harry Shorstein.) Corey triumphantly returned when she beat Shorstein’s protege, Jay Plotkin, in the 2008 state attorney’s race. “Ed Austin hired me […]