INDIANAPOLIS — Society has more effective ways to deal with juvenile crime than locking up children, experts told an Indiana legislative panel Monday.
A parade of witnesses who testified before the Interim Study Committee on Corrections and the Criminal Code touted alternatives to juvenile detention, with some saying locking children up with worse offenders can even make the problem worse.
The option that drew the most attention was a pilot program called the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, promoted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and active in eight Indiana counties.
Program advocates Rebecca Humphey and Michelle Tennell told the panel that the initiative reduces the number of juveniles placed in detention by setting out strict criteria that must first be met, such as whether they present a danger to themselves or the community.
Link to Video of Interim Committee on Corrections and Criminal Code 9/22/14