Lawmakers begin study of Nevada’s juvenile justice system
Friday, Nov. 5, 1999 | 10:43 a.m.
State lawmakers considered ways to eliminate dangerous influences of those gangs as they renewed an examination of Nevada's juvenile justice system on Thursday.
A study committee headed by Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, was told the latest estimates on gang numbers include about 6,300 in 201 gangs in the Las Vegas area and 1,400 members in 100 Reno-area gangs.
Kirby Burgess of the Clark County juvenile justice program said it's important to continue developing alternatives to jail for juveniles.
Burgess added his county, encompassing Las Vegas, is expanding its detention facility from 112 to 235 beds - "But I don't want this to be like 'Field of Dreams' - if we build it, we will fill it up."
Leonard Pugh of Washoe County's juvenile services said the key to all the most successful programs is "to get involved earlier where there's a better chance of successful intervention."
The two told lawmakers the system of evaluation and classification set up during the past two years along with a variety of intermediate sanctions designed to treat and correct behavior are the keys to winning the battle rather than putting juveniles in prison facilities.
But for those who must be put away, they said work is under way on a five-county residential juvenile facility in Silver Springs and a 96 bed facility in North Las Vegas for serious and chronic juvenile offenders.
Other sanctions in different counties now range from making first-time, less serious offenders report in daily to intensive supervision programs with drug and other counseling.
Washoe, Clark and other counties now have drug courts, and a truancy court is operating in Clark County. Counseling programs and job training also are available, along with residential programs to keep 24-hour tabs on some juvenile offenders.
Judge Bob Gaston, a member of the study committee, said those programs can make a major reduction in repeat offenders.
He said the biggest problem in southern Nevada has been with the Clark County School District which, he said, regards juvenile offenders as troublemakers it doesn't need.
"We have kids we want to put in school, who want to be in school, but we have nowhere to put them," he said. "The schools don't want to make room for them."
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- ‘Stripper-mobile’ with live dancers raises safety, decency concerns
- Report: State’s economy worse off than any other
- Freddie Roach: Miguel Cotto not the same since knockout
- Rebels survive scare from Division-II Washburn
- Study cites challenges of Nevada’s financial problems
- Tourism companies embrace social media strategies
- Fans float replacement for UNLV football coach
- Six search warrants served on Hells Angels
- Analysts say Dean Heller’s arguments on health care don’t add up
- County budget cuts expected, but how much?
Blogs
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: The three stages of chefdom
Miech Again
Rebels rookie Lopez says redshirting is his best move (11 Comments)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Lawsuit filed to block "personhood" initiative
Elsewhere
Rumors of Matt Hughes v. Renzo Gracie
The Kats Report
Ten minutes with Chelsea Handler is better than no minutes with Chelsea Handler (2 Comments)
Business Notebook
Meeting cancellations prompting suits; economic diversification vs. growth
Now and Then
Antoine Walker doesn't know when to hold or fold 'em (1 Comment)
Calendar »
- 12 Thu
- 13 Fri
- 14 Sat
- 15 Sun
- 16 Mon
-
Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Utah Grizzlies
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
Lily Tomlin at the Hollywood Theatre
Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand
-
Leonard Cohen at The Colosseum
The Colosseum | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Football specials at Diablo's
Diablos Cantina
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati











