ough the adult court system has been a trend across the country in reaction to crimes, such as school shootings and violent rapes. Yet evidence shows that treating youth as adults does not reduce crime. In Florida, where probability wise more kids are tried as adults then in any other state, studies found that youth sent through the adult court system are twice as likely to commit more crimes when they're released. It appears that our system doesn't revolve around crime prevention but introduces crime creation.Recently in California Proposition 21 - the Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act - passed. This new law puts youth into the adult system, allowing youth to be mixed with adults in prison. Sending youth as young as fourteen to the adult court system rather than to juvenile court.It threatens privacy and civil liberties. Allowing the public, including schools and employers, to review juvenile court records by removing the "confidentiality" rules that permit young offenders to go back to school or find jobs without being labeled a criminal for life. Allowing wiretapping of those the government thinks are "gang" members, which is defined as an informal group of three or more people, and creating "gang" registration requirements and procedures for adults and juveniles convicted or found by the court for gang-related offenses. It creates punishment that does not fit the crime. Lowering felony vandalism such as graffiti from over $50,000 to over $400 in damages and increases the minimum penalty to one year in jail and thousands of dollars in fines. Making "conspiracy," or just knowing a gang crime will be committed, a crime. Expanding the "three strikes" laws to make sentences much longer for youth. Expanding the death penalty. Eliminating probation eligibility for many youth, creating stricter probation rules for those who are eligible, and making it easier for youth to be moved from probation to prison.It has no ...
