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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 9 June 2018
Florida officials told student diversion programs often work

By TERRY SPENCER Under that program,
Associated Press juveniles who commit
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The minor offenses such as
school district where underage drinking, petty
the Florida high school shoplifting and minor
massacre happened vandalism are required
defended its controversial to perform community
student diversion program service, often within days
Thursday, telling a of the offense, rather than
commission investigating have a criminal case that
the shooting that the will drag for months through
program has reduced on- the court system and leave
campus crime and kept them with a record that
children in school — a claim could hurt their ability to
many members remained attend college, get a job
skeptical of. or join the military. He also
Broward County schools said locking up such low-
administrator Michaelle level offenders also has a
Pope told the Marjory tendency to lead them into
Stoneman Douglas High more serious crimes as they
School Public Safety are exposed to violent and
Commission that the felonious teens.
number of offenses Greenwald pointed out
covered by the Promise that almost all law-abiding,
program have fallen by responsible adults did
two-thirds from about 6,000 something as a teenager
a year to about 2,000 a that could have gotten
year since 2013. them arrested if they had
There are 10 misdemeanors been caught or if a police
eligible for the Promise officer had not decided
program, including fighting, to cut them a break. For
threatening assault, petty him, an officer let him go
vandalism and theft, drug for drinking beer under the
and alcohol use, creating school bleachers.
a major disruption and "For most youth, we
making a false accusation start with a light touch,"
against a staff member. Greenwald said, adding
Under the Promise that usually works. "We
program, which covers know that two-thirds of the
kindergarten through high kids are arrested in Florida
school, students are sent are arrested once and
to an alternative program don't come back."
for up to 10 days and they For those who do repeat,
and their families receive he said, they get put into
counseling. Police officers the juvenile justice system
are notified after the third Commissioner and Polk County Sheriff, Grady Judd, center, asks a question during the Marjory and often wind up on
Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission Meeting, Thursday, June 7, 2018, in
offense in a school year, Sunrise, Fla. probation or in detention.
although they can arrest a Associated Press Meanwhile, Cruz's attorneys
student on a first offense if have asked a judge to
they choose. The program presentation, several Cruz should have been commission's August block the release of parts
was devised by the school commissioners said they arrested at some point meeting. The 15-member of what police call his
district, police, prosecutors, still have major concerns as he had more than 20 panel has until Jan. 1 to confession. The motion filed
public defenders, a judge about the program and juvenile contacts with issue a report to Florida Gov. Wednesday contends that
and community groups want more details in the law enforcement officers Rick Scott detailing findings parts of the statement "will
including the NAACP to coming months. at home and school, on what led to the shooting cause significant trauma to
reduce the number of Commissioner Max including allegations that and its recommendations an already beleaguered
students being arrested for Schachter, whose son Max he made threats to kill his for preventing school community" and its release
minor on-campus crime died in the shooting, said it former girlfriend's friends. shootings. would violate Cruz's
and all remain supportive is "mind-boggling" that the He was referred to Promise Earlier, Mark Greenwald, constitutional rights to a
of the program, Pope said. offense number is reset to in 2013, but did not formally the director of research for fair trial and against self-
"There is accountability by zero each school year. enter it, following a middle the Florida Department of incrimination. A hearing is
all of the signatories," Pope "The whole purpose is the school vandalism incident. Juvenile Justice, told the scheduled for Friday.
told the commission. threat that if they don't go Pope said that while commission that diversion Cruz's attorneys have said
Critics have said the into this program they are she could not address programs for low-level he would plead guilty in
program has made campus going to be arrested, but if Cruz's case specifically, offenders are widely return to a sentence of life
police officers reluctant to they are not arrested, what improvements have successful. For example, without parole. Prosecutors
arrest students like Nikolas does that accomplish? been made to make sure only 4 percent of juveniles are seeking the death
Cruz, the 19-year-old And if they do go into students complete the statewide who are referred penalty.
former Stoneman Douglas the Promise program, program or face criminal to community programs The commission meets
student accused of killing does it really change their consequences. through a widely used civil again Friday to discuss
17 students and staff behavior?" Schachter said. Cruz's history will be citation program reoffend the hiring and use of on-
on Feb. 14. After Pope's Previous critics have said discussed at the within a year. campus police officers.q