Hillsborough should give more kids who commit crimes a second chance | Editorial
Last year, Hillsborough recorded nearly 400 juvenile arrests for first-time minor offenses compared to 27 in Miami-Dade, a study found.
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Pinellas and Miami-Dade counties lead the state in keeping youth offenders out of the school-to-prison cycle but, in many parts of the state, law enforcement continues to arrest kids eligible for diversion programs and thatâs costing taxpayers. [ CARL JUSTE, MIAMI HERALD FILE PHOTO ]
This article represents the opinion of the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board.
Published 1 hour ago
Updated 1 hour ago
Hillsborough County has made significant strides in the last few years sending juveniles who commit minor crimes to diversion programs instead of jail. But Hillsborough still leads the state in arresting the most kids for first-time misdemeanor offenses, according to a recent study. Following the example of other Florida counties, law enforcement leaders
Activists call for reforms to reduce Hillsboroughâs juvenile arrests
Too many kids are getting arrested, according to the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality. Local officials agree, but differ on how to address the issue.
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Teenagers listen to a guest speaker at the Hillsborough County Juvenile Detention Center East. A group called Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality is pushing county officials to create a secondary review process to divert more eligible juveniles into the county s arrest avoidance program. [ Times ]
Updated Earlier today
TAMPA â Arionna Thomas was just a fifth-grader when she brought a knife to school a few years ago.