2006 Florida Children's Summit
Compilation of Commitment Issues
| Click here to see the Summit recommendations for this issue. |
An opportunity to channel positively - through diversion, assessment, and treatment - the life path of youth who are likely to have come into contact with the juvenile justice system.
Over 100,000 of Florida's most troubled youth came into contact last year with the juvenile justice system. If not intervened with effectively, many of these youths will continue their path of criminal activity resulting in an increased risk to public safety and a career path to the adult correctional system. It is critical that effective evidence-based diversion, assessment and treatment services be available to determine the appropriate intervention needed to address changing the behavior of the youth involved. Such intervention and treatment can only be effective if offered by a well trained and professional workforce. An effective juvenile justice system that provides the right service at the right time, is gender responsive, and focuses on the needs of the youth who come into contact with the law is the only effective way to address public safety.