Tagged: Juvenile Justice

To keep kids out of detention centers and help cut down on costs, Governor Nathan Deal today signed into law an overhaul of the juvenile justice system.

The measure allows judges far greater flexibility to steer kids into community-based help, rather than incarceration. It also includes millions for a pilot program aimed at bolstering local counseling programs.

Eric John, director of the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia, applauded the reform package.

Over the last two years, Gov. Nathan Deal has pushed legislation aimed at getting nonviolent criminals out of prisons and youth detention centers.   

Now he’s turning his focus to helping former inmates re-enter the workforce.

Speaking before the Atlanta Press Club in downtown Atlanta, Governor Nathan Deal discussed some of the major accomplishments of the past legislative session, including a bill aimed at reducing the influence of special interests at the Capitol.

Deal admitted the ethics bill is flawed, but said it represents progress.

“Even though that [the ethics bill] does not do everything that everybody wants, I think it is a significant step in the right direction.”

  The Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court urged Georgia lawmakers to move ahead with a major overhaul of the system for treating and punishing young offenders.

In her annual State of the Judiciary address at the State Capitol on Thursday, February 7th, Chief Justice Carol Hunstein said Georgia’s current get-tough approach to young offenders is expensive and ineffective.  And she said most kids in trouble have not committed violent crimes.