Black Caucus Meets with Deal, Says He’s Open to Reassessing SB440

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Legislation passed nearly 20 years ago mandating that some children be prosecuted as adults and locked up for years is getting a fresh look from members of the general assembly and possibly the governor. JJIE.org has confirmed that in a recent meeting with some Georgia Legislative Black Caucus members, new Governor Nathan Deal stated that he is willing to reassess Senate Bills 440 and 441. The development comes on the heels of prison overcrowding concerns Governor Deal, a former juvenile court judge, expressed last month during his first state-of –the-state address. “The governor has indicated that he is open to discussions about this; the speaker of the house (David Ralston) said the same when we met with him a few days later,” says Georgia State Senator Emmanuel Jones (D-10) “Texas and Alabama are taking the lead on reforming these laws. These laws were passed during a time 15 to 16 years ago when both parties were trying to ‘out tough’ each other on crime.

Floyd County Pins Hopes on Grant for Mental Health Treatment Court

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The Juvenile Court of Floyd County has applied for a grant to establish a Mental Health Treatment Court. The funds, worth more than $230,000, would help pay for mental health assessments to all children entering the juvenile court system. “This will be used for early identification of children with mental illness and reduce their likelihood of penetrating the justice system,” Administrator Catherine Fricks told the Rome News-Tribune. Eligibility for the mental health court is based on the results of the assessment. Children entering the mental health court would receive regular therapy and meet with professionals to establish a treatment plan.

Black Caucus Says Gov. Deal May Be Open To Fewer Children Tried As Adults

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Legislation passed nearly 20 years ago mandating that some children be prosecuted as adults and locked up for years is getting a fresh look from members of the general assembly and possibly the governor. JJIE.org has confirmed that in a recent meeting with some Georgia Legislative Black Caucus members, new Governor Nathan Deal stated that he is willing to reassess Senate Bills 440 and 441. The development comes on the heels of prison overcrowding concerns Governor Deal, a former juvenile court judge, expressed last month during his first state-of –the-state address. “The governor has indicated that he is open to discussions about this; the speaker of the house (David Ralston) said the same when we met with him a few days later,” says Georgia State Senator Emanuel Jones (D-10) “Texas and Alabama are taking the lead on reforming these laws. These laws were passed during a time 15 to 16 years ago when both parties were trying to ‘out tough’ each other on crime.

Women Volunteers Target Online Ads Selling Sex With Children

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Some unlikely Atlanta women are spending hours on the Internet looking for child prostitutes, but not for personal gratification. They’re volunteers who are monitoring websites that advertise children under categories such as “escorts” as part of a new front in the war against sexual trafficking. “We have found every quarter an exponential increase in the number of girls being exploited,” said Deborah Richardson, executive vice president of the National Center for Civil & Human Rights. “One reason is the internet. Anyone can sit at home and order a young girl for sex as easily as ordering a pizza.” And just as a customer can specify pizza toppings, children can be ordered online by skin color, hair color and age, she said.

“Scared Straight” Programs Suspended in California and Maryland

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Two states suspended Scared Straight programs on Friday.  California and Maryland prison officials, who welcomed producers of Beyond Scared Straight into their high security facilities, are now backing away from the show and the confrontational diversion program for troubled teens.  South Carolina is also reviewing the issue, according to mercurynews.com. The U.S. Department of Justice is warning state officials that scared straight techniques don’t deter young people from crime, and may make them more likely to offend in the future.  An op-ed piece published in the Baltimore Sun this week and written by two Justice Department officials says the agency discourages funding for scared straight-type programs, and states that operate them risk losing their federal funding under provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Episodes of Beyond Scared Straight were created inside prisons in California, Maryland and South Carolina for the show that debuted in January on the A&E network. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services began a review of its diversion programs after inmates were shown touching and grabbing kids in the episode.

Teens Safer By Themselves: Study Says Risky Behavior More Likely With Friends

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Confirming what you probably already know, a new study finds teens are more likely to engage in risky behavior when their friends are around. The study by Temple University says the portion of the brain associated with reward showed “greater activation” in teens doing risky things with their friends. "These results suggest that the presence of peers does not impact the evaluation of the risk but rather heightens sensitivity in the brain to the potential upside of a risky decision," said psychologist Jason Chein, lead author of the study. The full study is only available with a subscription but you can read more at Science Daily.

Dads: Spending Time With Your Kids Could Stop Them From Bullying

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Even more incentive for dads to spend time with their kids: new research says children who think their fathers work too much could become bullies. The study by Vanderbilt University sociologist Andre Christie-Mizell found that bullying behavior increased when fathers worked full time or overtime. “Our behavior is driven by our perception of our world, so if children feel they are not getting enough time and attention from parents then those feelings have to go somewhere and it appears in interaction with their peers,” Christie-Mizell told Science Daily. Christie-Mizell recommends establishing scheduled time for dads to spend with their kids. “What this research shows is that while it's equally important for kids to spend time with both parents, fathers need to make an extra effort," he said.

Pregnant Teacher Miscarries After Trying to Stop School Fight

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A teacher's job sure has changed.  In Savannah, a pregnant teacher tried to break up a fight between two students.  She was punched in the stomach several times and miscarried a few days later.  The boy is a 13-year-old special needs student who has been removed to an alternative school while authorities decide if they should charge him. Following the fight, the school adjusted its policy on how teachers should intervene.

Seven Teens Arrested in ‘Wolf Pack’ Bullying Case

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A disturbing and violent case of bullying has outraged the Philadelphia area.  The victim is a 13 year old boy who was attacked by seven classmates, ages 13 to 17, on the way home from school.  One of the alleged attackers recorded the incident on his cell phone on January 11, laughing through the incident that went on for half an hour, according to Philly.com. The video shows the boy screaming for help, as he is being dragged across the ground and jammed into a tree. He falls and tries to run away. Then his attackers chase him down and hang him by his coat from a 7-foot fence. Watch this account from CBS3 in Philadelphia:

Police in Upper Darby, Pa.