HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 71
(By Delegates Pino and Perry)
[Introduced March 3, 2004; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study
current statistical trends in juvenile delinquency, the
underlying causes for juvenile delinquency, the prospect for
creating a statewide program to address the multifaceted
problems associated with increasing juvenile delinquency and
the further prospect for addressing juvenile delinquency with
school-funded programs designed to keep juveniles occupied
with constructive and self esteem building activities, while
projecting the fiscal requirements necessary to implement
these programs.
Whereas, Juvenile delinquency remains a serious and
ever-increasingly costly blight on the State that annually takes a
heavy toll in terms of property loss, state sources, physical harm
to innocent victims and loss of human life; and
Whereas, Traditional approaches to the problem of juvenile
delinquency have not proven to be wholly effective; and
Whereas, The number of juveniles being incarcerated in this
State has increased substantially during the past decade while the
cost of incarceration has dramatically increased as well; and
Whereas, Creative, eclectic and innovative approaches need to
be devised and implemented to address the ever-increasing and
problematic specter of juvenile delinquency, and these approaches
must be applied locally, regionally and statewide, depending on
their efficiency and successful application within various areas of
a diverse state. While some approaches may render success solely
in a localized fashion due to cultural, ethnic regional or other
differences, still others may universally render success, thereby
justifying a uniform and statewide application; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study the current statistical trends in juvenile
delinquency, the underlying causes for juvenile delinquency, the
prospect for creating a statewide program to address the
multifaceted problems associated with increasing juvenile
delinquency and the further prospect of addressing juvenile
delinquency with school funded programs designed to keep juveniles
occupied with constructive and self esteem building activities,
while projecting the fiscal requirements necessary to implement any
recommended programs; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2006, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance course the involvement in and consultation with the West
Virginia Judicial Association, the West Virginia Prosecuting
Attorney's Association, the West Virginia Sheriff's Association,
the West Virginia Chief of Police Association and the West Virginia
Probation Officer's Association in regard to said study; and, be it
Further Resolved, That, at the commencement of the study, the
legal staff of the Joint Committee on Government and Finance
provide one full committee with a mandatory, detailed briefing on
all existing state juvenile justice laws, both statutory and case
law, as well as a detailed briefing as to all existing alternatives
available to judges in dealing with juvenile delinquency; and, be
it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to prepare a
report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative
appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.