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Teens Will Be Helped With New Laws Taking Effect January 1
The Juvenile Justice Initiative is hailing three new laws that take effect with the New Year. Each is being touted as a way to help teenagers start fresh after making a mistake.

The first law puts 17-year olds who are charged with misdemeanors under the jurisdiction of the juvenile courts, rather than the adult courts. The second makes it easier for youth with one misdemeanor to have their records cleared, as long as they’ve served their sentences and local prosecutors agree to expunge. The third gives the Redeploy Illinois program the chance to reach out to juveniles by creating a pool of money for smaller counties to keep delinquent youth in their communities rather than sending them to state youth prisons.

The Juvenile Justice Initiative's policy advocate, Mary Reynolds, says the changes in the law are being made because brain research shows that 17-year olds are not fully capable of understanding the consequences of their actions, and so should be tried in juvenile courts. She says these changes will make it easier for these kids to start fresh, get an education, and find a job.

(Illinois Radio Network)
12 30 09 by Newsroom
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