Middle ground sought for juvenile penalties

Thursday, April 29, 2004 | 9:41 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins says he is working on a proposal for a "middle ground" in handling juveniles who get into serious trouble.

Perkins, assistant police chief in Henderson, said Wednesday the juvenile justice system is seen as too liberal and the adult system too harsh for some of these youngsters.

"It would be kind of a hybrid," said Perkins, a Democrat. It could include strong rehabilitation programs but also some prison hard-time, he said.

Perkins' proposal would be presented to the 2005 Legislature.

The speaker said the case of 15-year-old Jake Reeder could fit into the category of cases his measure would target.

Reeder was playing with a gun when it discharged and killed a 14-year-old in Henderson.

Reeder was certified as an adult and charged with murder with use of a deadly weapon. The law says that after a full investigation by the district attorney, a youngster who is 14 or older shall be certified as an adult if he is charged with an offense or attempted offense involving the use or threatened use of a firearm.

"If it was an accident, there was no crime," Perkins said.

The law also says that a person 14 or older should be certified as an adult if he is accused of sexual assault involving the use of force or violence.

Clark County Public Defender Philip Kohn said it was wrong to place Reeder in the county jail with adults.

A defense lawyer can petition that the case be returned to Juvenile Court.

Perkins said he started looking at a middle ground after the case of a 16-year-old who pleaded guilty in Juvenile Court in Clark County to four counts of drunken driving in a crash that killed three of his friends and injured another.

He was sentenced to two years in the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center and 600 hours of community service.