But sometimes they can't be reached. The horrible incidents of juvenile violence that we see on TV and read about in the newspaper are committed by youths who are beyond the reach of prevention offers. Not only do they bring into focus the epidemic of juvenile violence that has beset our communities, they also raise serious questions about the efficiency of our juvenile justice system. One of the biggest problems is that our juvenile justice system is caught in a time warp. Treating violent juvenile offenders with kid gloves is not the answer.
Many juvenile advocates oppose tough sentences for teen and pre-teen offenders.
But we are not talking about the girl who gets collared for shoplifting, or the boy who gets busted for fist-fighting. These are hardened juveniles with no respect for human life and utter contempt for the law. With rare exception, they are beyond redemption and they must be dealt with accordingly. Keeping the more serious and violent offenders in the juvenile courts drains scarce resources that are best spent on children who can be turned around. There is currently an effort under the Dome that would go a long way toward changing the status quo.