Gwinnett Judge says Georgia Juvenile Justice Reform Will Cost Counties
Michelle Wirth/WABE News
A Gwinnett County judge is critical of juvenile justice reform passed by the Georgia legislature this year and championed by Governor Nathan Deal. Even though the reform is supposed to save the state money, Gwinnett’s chief juvenile court judge says it places an undue financial burden on Georgia counties.
During a budget review hearing in Gwinnett County, Judge Robert Rodatus says the changes will mean additional evaluations, hand service filings and will result in the appointment of more attorneys. He also says more staff will be needed to handle the extra work. As a result, he’s requested five additional employees.
“This new code has created a monster that the county, the judges, the court administrators have fought for seven years, and we’ve been open by this and we knew if it ever came to be this is what would happen.”
And Rodatus is skeptical the reform will aid Georgia’s at-risk youth.
“In my opinion … and I think in the opinion of many judges, it does nothing to improve the lot of children in Georgia. It’s process for the sake of process.”
But state senator Renee Unterman disagrees with Judge Rodatus. Unterman says the state will save more than $80 million dollars in five years and the reform will keep low-risk, nonviolent youth out of detention settings where they learn how to become hardened criminals.
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