Youthful offenders gain learning experience

Kim Smith

Monday, March 18, 2002 | 9:35 a.m.

After a car crash killed six youthful offenders cleaning trash along Interstate 15 two years ago Tuesday, community service programs for kids who got into trouble were severely limited.

Probation officers found that when teens on probation committed minor offenses, like staying out past curfew or drinking a beer, they had only one way to punish them. They locked them up.

So Family Court Judge Cynthia Dianne Steel sent probation officers a message.

"These were Judge Steel's words to us: 'Give me something,' " said Beth Marek, assistant manager of Clark County juvenile probation.

What they came up with is the Judicial Studies Program.

Every Saturday and Sunday since September, first-time probation violators and first-time offenders have been meeting in a classroom at the Juvenile Detention Center.

"These kids aren't coming in because they beat up Mom or Dad and this is the consequence," Marek said. "They're coming in usually because they've done something just for attention. This program will help them refocus and get back on track."

Sometimes they are required to come for just the weekend, sometimes they are ordered to attend multiple weekends. It depends upon the severity of their mistake.

Probation officer Brad Hardin has set up a rotating four-week program designed to encourage juveniles to make better choices.

They have discussions, play educational games and watch movies with messages. They listen to people from the community who donate their time to discuss everything from sexually transmitted diseases and substance abuse to domestic violence, filling out job applications and money management.

"We wanted to develop something that was constructive," Hardin said. "We want them to walk away with something they can use. I call it reality-based programming."

The program complements the other programs the county still has available, Marek said.

Juvenile probationers are still removing graffiti, feeding the homeless and providing landscaping for the elderly as part of community service.

They are also still picking up trash, but not along highways. They also beautify community parks and BLM land, Marek said, or parents can select their own community service locations -- such as a church.

Metro Police, Stop DUI and Safe Nest participate in the Judicial Studies Program, along with experts from the private sector, Hardin said.

Since the program began in September, about 200 youths between 12 and 17 have attended the program, Hardin said. It's too early to tell if it is reducing recidivism.

"But, we've gotten a lot of positive feedback from the probation officers," Hardin said. "The kids are telling them it's not so bad."

If it's not so bad, maybe the kids will remember what they've learned while also remembering they had to give up their weekend to learn it, Hardin said.

"We want them to walk away with some seeds planted so they can make better decisions in the community," Marek said.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Bob Teuton said he hasn't seen the program in action yet, but he hopes it will stay focused on deterring first-time offenders and first-time probation violators from committing future crimes.

Too many times, youths are slapped on the hands multiple times before any meaningful punishment happens, Teuton said. He is in the process now of asking a judge to transfer a 17-year-old into the adult court system -- the teen has already appeared in juvenile court 10 times.

"If we had been more punitive earlier, we wouldn't be here today," Teuton said.

"We need to hit these kids when they can still associate the behavior with the punishment," Teuton said. "Sometimes our punishments are close to a paper dragon, and we keep saying 'This time, this time, this time, we really mean it.' "