Editorial: Youth work programs have value

Wednesday, July 5, 2000 | 9:53 a.m.

There is no question that juvenile offenders assigned to work programs should be kept out of harm's way. This community learned a painful lesson when a car driven by Jessica Williams killed six juvenile offenders in March while they were picking up trash along Interstate 15. Placing children in work situations along busy highways is bad policy. Clark County has since heeded this warning and stopped assigning the young offenders to roadside trash pickup.

It is wrong, however, to suggest that work programs for juvenile offenders are all bad and must be discontinued altogether. But that is essentially what a state legislative subcommittee studying the Nevada juvenile justice system was told by a paid consultant. The consultant, North Carolina criminologist James "Buddy" Howell, cited studies that suggest there is little value to work programs where juvenile offenders can pay off their fines for misdemeanors. The state should demand a refund from its consultant.

We happen to agree with Kirby Burgess, director of Clark County Family & Youth Services, who said other studies suggest that work programs are a good alternative to incarcerating youngsters in juvenile detention. These programs teach discipline, responsibility and hopefully a touch of humility. Many juveniles commit their offenses because of a lack of discipline at home.

Our juvenile justice system is a safety net for troubled youngsters. The system certainly has flaws, but work programs are not among them. There is nothing wrong with assigning young offenders to pick up trash from parks or clean up graffiti. They are hopefully learning a lesson while providing a public service.

We believe these work programs are so useful that they can help ease overcrowding at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center. Instead of detaining nonviolent children, such as truants, the county ought to have them help clean up our town.