FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 22, 2013

AUSTIN – Today, the Right on Crime campaign congratulated the Georgia Senate for unanimously passing a major juvenile justice reform bill. This legislation would enact comprehensive juvenile justice reforms recommended by the Governor’s Special Council on Justice Reform.

The reforms would refocus Georgia’s juvenile justice system on programs that actually work to keep streets safer. The bill would redirect a portion of Georgia’s current expenditures toward programs that have been shown to reduce the likelihood of youths to re-offend and help them on a path to becoming productive adults. For example, it would ensure that risk assessment instruments are used so that decision-makers have accurate information.

The legislation would also target the state’s resources towards higher-level offenders and save the state nearly $85 million through 2018, which would avoid the opening of two additional juvenile residential facilities. Currently, the cost of housing each juvenile offender is more than $91,000 per year.

The Senate version of the bill will now go back to the Georgia House since it is slightly different than the House version.

Right on Crime Policy Director Marc Levin said, “We are happy to see the Georgia Senate move forward on public safety reforms that align with conservative principles of limited government, individual liberty, and personal responsibility. We hope the bill goes to Governor Deal very soon.”

Right on Crime is a national campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation that supports fighting crime, prioritizing victims and protecting taxpayers. It was founded in 2010 in order to increase public awareness of the conservative position on criminal justice policy, based on values such as limited government, fiscal discipline, and personal responsibility.

National conservative leaders such as tax activist Grover Norquist, former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and former federal “drug czar” Bill Bennett are among those who have signed the Right on Crime Statement of Principles.

 

Marc Levin is Policy Director of the Right on Crime campaign.

 

Right on Crime is a national campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation that supports fighting crime, prioritizing victims and protecting taxpayers.

 

Primary website: www.rightoncrime.com

Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/RightOnCrime

Twitter feed: www.Twitter.com/RightOnCrime

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