Most of all, they know of the love and compassion of the people of Arkansas. Since the shootings, my office has received hundreds if not thousands of phone calls and messages from around the world. Some people are angry that the two boys accused of this terrible crime cannot be charged as adults. I understand their anger, and we fully intend to do something to improve the system. However, we should carefully study all of our options before making changes.
Decisions made in the heat of the moment, when passions run high, often result in bad law.
We need to carefully consider our response to this tragedy, study how other states deal with juvenile crime, hear what Arkansans have to say about the issue and then come up with a plan that addresses the problem. That's why we're forming the Governor's Working Group on Juvenile Justice. The group's coordinator is Kelly Pace, a member of my staff, and it will include people from all walks of life from all parts of Arkansas. Its goal will be not only to find out how we can punish juveniles who commit crimes but also determine how to prevent them from committing crimes in the first place. One of the most important tasks of the working group will be finding ways to counteract the barrage of violence and conflict children encounter in today's culture.