NCJ Number
144426
Journal
Youth Law News Volume: 8 Issue: 6 Dated: (November-December 1992) Pages: 1- 4
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The recent Florida Supreme Court decision in A.A. v. Rolle addresses the issue of placing juvenile status offenders in secure detention and overruled a 10-year-old precedent by forbidding this practice.
Abstract
The decision was a major victory for youth advocates and indicated the court's willingness to uphold the rights of children. The decision involved six consolidated cases with a wide range of facts. Four involved dependent children who were pure status offenders; the other two involved delinquent children who had committed contemptuous acts in the courtroom by throwing paper on the floor and by threatening a witness. The ruling represented a courageous act by a court that apparently had had enough of the abuses perpetrated by juvenile court judges. However, time will tell whether the ruling will stand. Activist lower court judges are furious, and several legislators have announced that their first priority for the 1993 session will be to give judges back the power to detain for contempt. Unfortunately, the procedural debate is diverting attention from the basic problem of what else to do with juvenile status offenders who defy court orders. Nevertheless, the court has clearly understood the need for effective programming for youth before they get into trouble with the law. The legislature should respond to this need. Photographs