We recommend that the strategic plan be completed in time for monies to be budgeted for its implementation in the FY19 budget. Additionally, we support the provision to base eligibility for the YRA set aside on the age of the youth offender at the time of the offense, rather than at the time of sentencing.
And finally, we are pleased to see a requirement for regular data collection and analysis to promote accountability and transparency, and ensure that the policy reforms put in place have the desired effect. Bill narrows the definition of who qualifies for the benefits of the YRA and excludes more offenses than the original law. We strongly disagree with this approach. We believe discretion as to who should be granted the benefit of the YRA should be left to judges, who are both capable and best positioned to make these determinations, rather than having blanket restrictions that could have unanticipated consequences.
The proposed legislation already requires judges to consider 12 common factors when deciding whether an individual qualifies for the YRA, and as the CJCC report highlights, it is very difficult to predict whether any given young adult has the potential for rehabilitation. To ensure that individuals can access the benefits of this bill, we recommend the bill include additional language clarifying the process for obtaining a set aside and that this language include a right to counsel for young offenders seeking this relief.
One thing that the current YRA system is sorely lacking is clear standards and process that make clear what someone has to go through to receive the benefits of the law. We think a clear process for those seeking relief should be clarified, and we also would also suggest adding a right to counsel to assist young offenders in navigating the process of obtaining a set aside. Additionally, we would want to ensure that there is no strict time limit imposed upon those who have served their sentence and are seeking a set aside.
We also recommend expanding the age of eligibility for a YRA set aside to 25 years old. As we have testified before, 22 is an arbitrary cut-off for this benefit. Young people who commit serious, even violent, offenses are not on the whole likely to participate in future crimes as they age into their mids, and allowing those up to the age of 25 to be eligible for the set aside would help a larger number of young offenders successfully reintegrate. Finally, we suggest that Bill include language to make it apply retroactively.
Retroactively extending YRA benefits to other youth offenders would allow them new opportunities in their quest for education, housing, gainful employment, and services.
Removing the barriers that a criminal conviction creates to accessing these resources would reduce recidivism rates and substantially improve public safety in the District. But successfully addressing crime and public safety in the District will also require significant prevention and intervention efforts to reduce the risk of our youth ever entering the system. We must take a comprehensive public health approach that removes policing from the center of our public safety discussions and addresses the root causes of crime, including the under-resourcing of communities that lack access to basic needs and often face high rates of trauma and crime themselves.
We look forward to working with the Council and our community partners to improve public safety and make positive criminal justice reform through evidence-based solutions that prioritize public health interventions.
Thank you. The metric dispels the notion that YRA recipients are more likely to recommit a new offense. Simmons eliminating the death penalty for juveniles , Graham v. A juvenile female was later cited with two counts of misdemeanor aid in a misdemeanor. Whitaker for a report of a juvenile problem. Sara Young, 40, of Chubbuck was cited with misdemeanor encouraging violation of Y.
Elizabeth Seaman, 27, of Chubbuck was cited with misdemeanor encouraging violation of Y. A vehicle had been entered and items were removed. A juvenile male was cited with misdemeanor petit theft. Contact Emergency: Non-emergencies: See more messages from Chubbuck, Idaho ».
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