In April, four juvenile males went on a multi-week vandalism spree in Huron damaging over 120 vehicles and causing over 90-thousand dollars in damage. The Beadle County State’s Attorney’s Office had to work hard to get the four youth through the court system before the juvenile justice reform bill became law, possibly affecting how victims could recover damages and how much of a penalty the defendants could receive. Attorney General Marty Jackley says Senate Bill 73 is well intended…
Beadle County’s alternative sentencing diversion program is offender pay. However some prosecutors looking to States Attorney’s Mike Moore for help in establishing programs have been told they can’t charge a fee. Jackley says offender pay is the way to fund programs…
Jackley says the Juvenile Justice Reform bill could force some small counties in the state to team up to make programs like diversion programs feasible to have in place.
Jackley says while the legislature was focused on cost saving with the bill, it has reduced the discretion available to judges when dealing with juvenile matters.