CHRISTOPHERS BILL - - THE JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM ACT [Please sign and distribut

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CHRISTOPHERS BILL - - THE JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM ACT [Please

sign and distribute widely....]

 

 

 

 

-- Please sign and distribute widely....

 

The ICFDA encourages you to sign an online petition in

support of CHRISTOPHERS BILL - THE JUVENILE JUSTICE

REFORM ACT. (Go to

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/429258617?ltl=1114901126).

 

For more information about Chris, who committed a

violent act at age 12 on Zoloft and is now serving a

30-year sentence, please visit our site at

http://www.drugawareness.org. This petition is in

support of a law which would prevent children from

serving these mandatory sentences.

 

The petition encourages South Carolina to pass into

law CHRISTOPHER'S BILL which would provide for the

following:

 

1. NO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 14 MAY BE SUBJECTED TO

MANDATORY SENTENCING.

 

2. CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14 WHEN CHARGED WITH A

CRIME SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE OR

RELEASE AT THE AGE OF 21.

 

3. CHILDREN WITHOUT A HISTORY OF PRIOR CRIMINAL

BEHAVIOR SHALL NOT THE TRIED IN AN ADULT COURT.

 

4. REHABILITATION WITHIN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

MUST INCLUDE COUNSELING AND EDUCATION.

 

5. CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14 MUST HAVE AN ATTORNEY

OR GUARDIAN

PRESENT BEFORE THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS CAN BE READ.

 

6. CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14 MUST NOT BE QUESTIONED

BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY OR GUARDIAN

PRESENT.

 

7. ANY CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 14 WHO COMMITS A CRIME

WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A PRESCRIBED

MIND-ALTERING DRUG MUST BE TRIED AS A JUVENILE IN THE

JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

 

8. ANY MENTALLY ILL OR MENTALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILD

UNDER THE AGE OF 14 WHO COMMITS A CRIME MUST BE TRIED

AS A JUVENILE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

 

9. THIS BILL IS RETROACTIVE FOR 10 YEARS FOR CASES

INVOLVING CHILDREN THAT WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 14 AT

THE TIME OF THEIR ARREST AND LATER TRIED AND SENTENCED

AS ADULTS.

 

Thank you for lending your support to this important

initiative.