Nevada struggling to deal with explosion in juvenile crime

Monday, June 30, 1997 | 4:19 a.m.

The number of youths arrested for major crimes fell nationally by 5.3 percent in 1995, the first decline in more than a decade.

But in Nevada, the rate rose 10.3 percent the same year, and 29 percent over the last six years, the newspaper reported in its Sunday editions.

"Our society has changed dramatically," Gov. Bob Miller said. "I feel we can't treat the juvenile justice system as if we're treating just delinquents and children.

"They, in some instances, deal with hard-core criminals who just happen to be young."

Sue Edmondson, a Washoe County deputy district attorney who prosecutes juveniles, said her caseload has risen about 10 percent annually for the last several years.

Last year, she screened 1,632 cases, up 70 from 1995.

"Violence has people's attention," she said. "The numbers aren't high, but more kids are committing violent crime than ever before. It's growing disproportionately."

Ray Hiett, a Washoe County probation officer for 22 years, agreed today's growing numbers of juvenile offenders are more violent than ever.

"I don't know if it's just the character of the offender or if it's the character of this whole generation, or even a generation or two," he said.

The Gazette-Journal investigation uncovered a number of problems plaguing the juvenile justice system, including overcrowded detention facilities and a lack of a comprehensive program of prevention and rehabilitation.

"We are not going to be able to just continue stockpiling these kids, and at some point, we're going to have to put some of them out on the street," said Rob Calderone, head of Washoe juvenile services.

"We're not very far from opening up the back door to let one out if we open the front door to let one in."

A debate at the Legislature rages over Gov. Bob Miller's $6 million plan for a prison for Nevada's 60 worst kids and for his $13 million Family to Family prevention program.

Many problems in Nevada's juvenile justice system have festered for years, only to worsen with the state's explosive growth, officials said.

Las Vegas gains 4,000 residents per month - up to a third under the age of 18.

That has forced the city to handle its kids by "crisis management," said Clark County Juvenile Court Judge Terrance Marren.

The problem is equally bad in Washoe County, whose population soared from 223,000 in 1985 to 299,400 last year.

"With that kind of increase in population, of course the juvenile justice system needs to expand," Washoe Sheriff Richard Kirkland said.

Washoe simply "doesn't have enough services to offer," said Ann Nelson, a former juvenile prosector and now legal counsel to the governor. "Caseloads per worker are way, way, way too high.

"A juvenile master might hear 30 cases in an afternoon. That's like 10 minutes a case. Parents don't feel heard. Case workers don't feel heard. Juveniles and families are falling through the gaps in the system."

Cheryl Evetts, mother of a 15-year-old boy in a long-term state program, said drastic steps are needed.

"Everyone needs to know what is going on in the system," she said. "It sucks. There's something wrong with the system."