Nashville, Tenn. – A state Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Jack Johnson R-Franklin would place at-risk juveniles who are in need of “heightened supervision” in secure facilities across the state.
Minors who have threatened someone with murder, rape, and other bodily harm or who have a history of these crimes would be placed in secure facilities. These include children and teenagers who have used a firearm in a crime.
If enacted into law, SB 1868 would place these juveniles in these centers rather than traditional programs such as foster care, a court approved home or shelter. These detention centers will have heightened security and heavy amounts of supervision.
Under current state law, a delinquent child committed to the custody of a foster home or some other facility is released after six months. SB 1868 could extend a youth’s detention for another six months if the minor is alleged to have committed an assault against a staff member or other personnel.
Jasmine Miller, a senior attorney at Youth Law Center, a national non-profit, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She recommended the definition of assault in this bill needs to be clarified and should be consistent with the Tennessee Criminal Code. She pointed out that a standard definition of assault is “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another, whether if someone intentionally or knowingly causes reasonable fear and imminent bodily injury.”
The bill states that in some cases, a minor who may need “heightened” supervision may need to be detained in jail with adult prisoners.
The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and goes before the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee in an upcoming hearing. A similar proposal will be debated in the House Judiciary Committee on Wed. March 18th. Legislators estimate this program will cost $10.7 million.
Leave a Reply