Survey shows Mich. willing to give youths second chance
Michigan residents believe juvenile offenders deserve second chances such as rehabilitation or parole, according to surveys conducted over two years by MSU associate professor of social work Sheryl Kubiak.
The survey also shows most residents oppose sending young offenders to adult prisons while they are still under 18 years old, Kubiak said.
“What was very clear was that a vast majority of people thought that, even if young people should serve long sentences, they shouldn’t serve them in an adult facility,” she said.
Out of 1,390 residents surveyed, 5 percent believed youths should be sent to an adult prison for life without parole for a serious crime, such as homicide. About 66.5 percent of respondents said youths should serve an intermediate sentence until they are 18, where they can be sent to an adult prison with the opportunity of parole.
Michigan is one of 19 states that allow children of any age to be tried and punished as adults. Kubiak, who became involved in surveys pertaining to juvenile offenders during her time at Wayne State University, said residents support second chances because of the possibility of rehabilitation.
Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Richard Garcia said the juvenile system is a treatment, not punishment-based, system. Most juvenile offenders first go through programs to help prevent high-risk behaviors before taking further action.
For sentencing, the court also examines factors such as involvement in the crime, past offenses and any previous rehabilitation program, Garcia said.
“It just depends on if there’s any hope yet to redirect that young person and make sure that they won’t offend again,” Garcia said. “The public still deserves to be protected.”
A hearing held by a family court judge then determines whether it is in the best interest of the community for the juvenile to be tried as an adult.
Other factors could help determine whether or not a juvenile offender deserves a second chance, said MSU alumna Erin Gantz.
“If you’re 17 or 18 (years old) and you’re committing a violent crime, then you should know better,” Gantz said. “But it would depend on the crime and where the person came from.”
Youth younger than the age of 17 years old who break the law may be tried before the Family Division of the Ingham County Circuit Court. Kubiak said since releasing the results, other researchers across the nation have inquired about conducting a similar survey in their area.
Kubiak said only three countries have a policy allowing juveniles to be sentenced to life in prison without parole, including the United States.
“I definitely think this is information that our legislators can use to think about and realign the policies to what the public is thinking,” Kubiak said.
Published on Sunday, June 15, 2008
Comments
Concerned mom
06/16/08 @ 12:36pm
Forcing children to go through the adult court system and locking them up in adult prisons is morally wrong and needs to stop!! We all know what these kids are going through in adult prisons…What do “we the people” need to do or say to make this stop??
I can't come up with a snarky name
06/16/08 @ 1:53pm
Statistics and tangible evidence would be good. Rants about morals and vague insinuations on university news boards probably won’t do much.
beau
06/16/08 @ 2:52pm
Dear I Can’t Come Up: How about Cold Dead Fish, that’s pretty snarky and seems to fit. Stats abound on this subject and don’t need to be repeated every time someone wants to weigh in on dumping kids in prisons, etc. Tangible evidence, hmmmm, oh I got one. Sending a 15 yr old to prison as an adult does not produce a well rounded citizen by the time that child turns 21. Ohh, Ohh, where’s another one. The majority of children tried as adults and imprisoned are minorities, specifically African American. Wonder it that has anything to do with the harshness of the system? Nah, America doesn’t have problems with race less ya ain’t white.
I can't come up with snarky name
06/17/08 @ 12:07pm
‘Cold Dead Fish’...is not snarky…and I hate fish.
I never said that I thought juveniles should tried as adults…as a matter, of fact, I’m highly opposed. But somehow, I don’t think that lawmakers will pay much attention to the arguments based on one person’s/groups morals, because there is always someone else with contradicting morals. Statistics and data are much more difficult to disprove.
To take on your argument of a becoming a well-rounded citizen. What exactly does that mean? I highly doubt that any law will come out of a term so vague and undefinable.
My post served only to point out that if people want to change the system, there is a rational, more efficient manner that will likely yield better results. When we use our own moral values to initiate and expect change, those with opposing values do the same, and lawmakers will not do anything, or it takes more time. If we can say, with little doubt, that a certain % of juveniles in adult prison commit crimes, and compare it with those in juvenile centers who don’t offend again, people will take more notice.
Thanks for ignoring the point of my post and continuing to go on morals and beliefs, as opposed to concrete evidence.
concerned mom
06/17/08 @ 7:42pm
First, let me thank (beah) for the comment. Well, I understand your point, (Can’t come up with) but in reality these kids have never ever been given a chance to begin with..In juvenile facilities they are taken advantage of by adults, and worse off in adult prisons. This fact has been going on for years. In adult prisons because of the long term sentences especially here in Michigan kids can’t even finish a high school education. Kids are raped, beaten and God only knows what else..It’s time to change not only forcing kids into the adult prison system but also to change what these kids are going through in juveniles. All the evidence and hard facts are all there in our law makers faces and yet they still pretend everything is okay? No child should be forced through the adult prison system. These kids need education, counsling, medication if needed etc. Not abuse period. Maybe we should start taking notes from Canada? Canadians realize there is a difference between children and adults..
Velia Koppenhoefer
06/23/08 @ 8:46am
There are volumes of data and research to support the need to abolish the imposition of life without parole sentences for children in the USA. We are the only country in the world as of February 2008 imposing this unconscionable sentence against the nation's youth. You can learn more about the many reasons to end this draconian policy by visiting http://Abolish-JLWOP.blogspot.com.
The imposition of life without parole sentences violates the Convention On the Rights of the Child (CRC) which is the world's most widely supported treaty. The nations of the world have held this practice contravenes the evolving standards of decency of a civilized nation and it is time that Michigan and the rest of the country join their voice of conscience.
We are making it very difficult for diplomatic relations with other countries and asking them to stop human rights violations when we are committing human rights violations at home. Our refusal to end the deplorable practice of sentencing children to die in prison also endangers the lives of our citizens abroad who may come into contact with court systems. There are far reaching perilous consequences that can emerge by not ending life without parole sentences for children in the USA many of our citizens have not considered.
A real life example of this sentence and how it is unfairly applied to children is the case of Efren Paredes, Jr. Efren was 15-years-old at the time of his arrest in 1989. He was not only sentenced to life without parole, he was convicted of a crime he did not commit and had no involvement in. He was convicted based on the testimony of other youths in exchange for them receiving lenient sentences and averting life sentences for themselves. To learn more about this tragic story please visit www.4Efren.com and www.myspace.com/4Efren.
concerned mom
06/27/08 @ 4:52pm
Well said Velia..