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November 10, 2007
Rhode Island to Reclassify 17-Year-Olds
November 10, 2007, NY Times
Rhode Island to Reclassify 17-Year-Olds
By KATIE ZEZIMA
Rhode Island criminal courts will again treat 17-year-olds as juveniles after Gov. Donald L. Carcieri let a bill repealing a four-month-old law become law without his signature.
The old law was intended to save money by housing 17-year-old offenders in the state prison, rather than its juvenile detention center. It ignited intense criticism from children’s advocates and law enforcement officials who said it was unfair to 17-year-olds and did not save money.
John J. Hardiman, the state’s public defender, said the new law took effect on Thursday morning.
The change in the law is a defeat of sorts for Mr. Carcieri, whose administration championed the original move to treat 17-year-olds as adults. Jeff Neal, a spokesman for Mr. Carcieri, said the governor did not sign the law because the “vast majority” of bills become law without his signature.
“I think at this stage there was a consensus in the General Assembly, certainly, that moving the age back to 18 was something that people wanted to do, and the governor did not object to that idea,” Mr. Neal said.
Mr. Hardiman and others, however, are concerned about the legal status of 17-year-olds convicted under the previous law.
Mr. Hardiman filed a motion in district court on Friday asking that the dozens of 17-year-olds who had been treated as adults have their cases transferred to juvenile court. The bill stipulates that the records of those offenders are now sealed.
However, “there’s still a lot of issues to work out with those kids who were adjudicated during that time,” Mr. Hardiman said.
“They’re going to seal the records, but what does that mean? If a kid was convicted during that time and if they try to get a job and ask if they’re convicted, what do they say?”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/10/us/10juvenile.html?pagewanted=print
Posted by lois at November 10, 2007 10:57 PM