wfn.org | Pending juvenile crime bill draws praise, criticisms

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 28, 1999	News media contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
10-21-71B{306}

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - While hailing the gun control provisions of a proposed
juvenile justice bill, the leader of the United Methodist Church's advocacy
agency is asking Congress to shore up points that he sees as shortcomings.

In a May 27 statement, the Rev. Thom White Wolf Fassett, top executive of
the denomination's Board of Church and Society, praised the Violent and
Repeat Juvenile Offender Accountability and Rehabilitation Act of 1999,
Senate Bill No. 254. "It would make incredible strides in keeping guns out
of the hands of juveniles." 

However, he also criticized the bill, remarking that it "fails as a juvenile
justice bill and contains detrimental measures that would adversely affect
young people in the U.S. criminal justice system."

He faulted the bill for lowering the age at which a child can be prosecuted
as an adult to 14, for lacking a significant investment in prevention and
for failing to ensure that states work to maintain a nondiscriminatory
juvenile justice system.

"We strongly urge members of Congress to support a substantial increase in
funding for prevention and treatment programs," Fassett said.  He asked that
the House of Representatives, in its companion bills numbered 1500 and 1501,
introduce and support amendments to increase funding for after-school
programs.

States should also be required to review data "on the disproportionate
number of minority juveniles in their justice systems," he said.

"While United Methodist policy strongly supports gun control, the
denomination also supports a criminal justice system for juveniles that is
responsible, more humane and just," he said. "The children of America will
receive grave injustice if we cut money from prevention programs and take
away community-based support systems addressing abuse, drugs, gangs and
other issues of life that turn a child to delinquency and crime."

He pledged that the church will continue to advocate for and minister to
crime victims and prisoners, and the families of both.

# # #

A complete text of the Rev. Thom White Wolf Fassett's statement follows:

Keep Proposed Juvenile Crime Bill Focused on Juveniles

This is a statement of General Secretary Dr. Thom White Wolf  Fassett. The
general board is directed to speak its convictions, interpretations, and
concerns to the Church and  to the world.

We hail provisions in last week's U.S. Senate passage of The Violent and
Repeat Juvenile Offender Accountability and Rehabilitation Act of 1999,
S.254, that would make incredible strides in keeping guns out of the hands
of children. However, the proposed legislation fails as a juvenile justice
bill and contains detrimental measures that would adversely affect young
people in the U.S. criminal justice system. The bill, S.254, would lower the
age that a child can be prosecuted as an adult to 14, lacks significant
investments in prevention funding, and fails to ensure that states work to
maintain a nondiscriminatory juvenile justice system.  

As the House of Representatives considers companion juvenile crime bills,
H.R. 1501 and H.R. 1150, we strongly urge members of Congress to support a
substantial increase in funding for prevention and treatment programs. We
also encourage House leaders to introduce and support amendments, which
failed in the Senate, to increase funding for after-school programs. Any
proposed legislation should include measures requiring states to review data
on the disproportionate number of minority juveniles in their justice
system.
 
While United Methodist policy strongly supports gun control, the
denomination also supports a criminal justice system for juveniles that is
responsible, more humane and just. This bill, S. 254, is a juvenile justice
bill. We need to ensure that justice for juveniles is not lost in the flurry
over gun control and other measures. The children of America will receive
grave injustice if we cut money from prevention programs and take away
community-based support systems addressing abuse, drugs, gangs, and other
issues of life that turn a child to delinquency and crime.  

On our part, the church will continue to be an advocate and minister to
prisoners, offenders, ex-offenders, victims and the families involved, and
offer competent ministries of mediation and conflict resolution within the
criminal justice system. United Methodist policy asserts that as Christians,
we are charged with the responsibility to ensure that systems of justice
will safeguard the inherent right of human beings as God's creatures and
objects of the love and care that derive from that relationship. (Criminal
Justice resolution, Book of Resolutions, 1996)
# # #
Only General Conference speaks for the entire denomination.  The General
Board of Church and Society is the international public policy and social
action agency of the United Methodist Church.

______________
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