1998 Legislation
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 40 – Children, divert from crime, study

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 40

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HCR040...............................by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
CHILDREN - Stating findings of the legislature and authorizing the
Legislative Council to appoint a committee to undertake and complete a
study of methods and programs to divert children from a life of crime.

02/16    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/17    Rpt prt - to Jud

Bill Text


HCR040


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fourth Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 1998
                                                                        

                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 40

                     BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

 1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 2    STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND AUTHORIZING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO
 3        APPOINT A COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE AND COMPLETE A STUDY OF METHODS AND  PRO-
 4        GRAMS TO DIVERT CHILDREN FROM A LIFE OF CRIME.

 5    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 6        WHEREAS, Idaho's growing population has brought an increase in crime; and
 7        WHEREAS,  in addressing the crime problem, the state has primarily focused
 8    its resources and efforts on convicting and  incarcerating  persons  who  have
 9    already committed crimes;
10        WHEREAS,  research has shown that early intervention in the lives of chil-
11    dren at risk of becoming entangled with the law can be effective in  diverting
12    them from criminal activity; and
13        WHEREAS,  the  allocation  of  resources to programs aimed at reducing the
14    flow of youth into criminal careers would reduce crime  and  result  in  cost-
15    savings to the state; and
16        WHEREAS,  a  full exploration of strategies to divert children from a life
17    of crime will protect the citizenry of Idaho as a whole and foster the  growth
18    of its children into responsible, law-abiding adults.
19        NOW,  THEREFORE,  BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-
20    sion of the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the House of  Representatives  and
21    the  Senate  concurring therein, that the Legislative Council is authorized to
22    appoint a committee to undertake and complete a study of methods and  programs
23    for  diverting  children  from a life of crime, including, but not limited to,
24    home visits by child care professionals starting before birth  and  continuing
25    for  the  first  two years of a child's life; training for parents and therapy
26    for families with school age children who have exhibited inappropriate aggres-
27    sion or otherwise demonstrated unhealthy behavior in school;  creating  incen-
28    tives, including cash, to induce disadvantaged students to complete their edu-
29    cation;  and  monitoring  and  supervising youth who have exhibited delinquent
30    behavior.
31        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Council  shall  determine  the
32    number  of legislators and membership from each house appointed to the commit-
33    tee and shall authorize the committee to receive input, advice and  assistance
34    from  interested  and affected parties who are not members of the legislature.
35    Nonlegislative members shall include representatives from the  Departments  of
36    Education, Juvenile Corrections, Health and Welfare and the Division of Finan-
37    cial  Management, a representative of the Idaho Supreme Court, and representa-
38    tives of child-oriented private organizations.
39        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that nonlegislative members of the committee  shall
40    not  be  reimbursed  from  legislative  funds  for  per diem, mileage or other
41    expenses and shall not have voting privileges regarding the committee's recom-
42    mendations or proposed legislation.
43        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall report its findings,  rec-
44    ommendations and proposed legislation, if any, to the First Regular Session of


                                          2

 1    the Fifty-fifth Idaho Legislature.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


    





                           STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
    
                                 RS 08017
    
    This legislation creates an interim committee to 
    determine if crime prevention methods that research has shown 
    to be effective and cost-saving throughout the country are 
    applicable in Idaho. The Rand Report, issued in 1996, 
    provides us with results of a two-year study of 
    crime-prevention strategies that involve early intervention 
    in the lives of juveniles at risk of pursuing a criminal 
    career. These strategies include: home visits by child-care 
    professionals to babies in at-risk families, training for 
    parents and therapy for targeted families, incentives to keep 
    youth in school until graduation, and monitoring and 
    supervising youth exhibiting delinquent behavior.
    
    Most of our state budgeting and efforts in fighting 
    crime are devoted to incarceration of persons who have 
    already committed crimes. Little effort has been made in 
    diverting high-risk children who have not yet committed 
    crime from doing so.
    
    The intent of this legislation is to create a statewide 
    interim committee which will look at our state, evaluate 
    these preventive approaches and make recommendations to the 
    Legislature about what is needed in Idaho, and how we might 
    fund and implement these needs.
    
                                FISCAL NOTE
    
    If this resolution is adopted by the Legislature and the 
    committee is appointed by Legislative Council, any necessary 
    legislator travel and per diem expense would be paid from the 
    existing legislative appropriation to the Senate and the 
    House of Representatives. Funding for staff support and 
    expenses would be provided from the existing appropriation to 
    the Legislative Council for the Legislative Services Office. 
    There would be no additional impact upon the state general 
    fund as a result of this resolution.
    
    CONTACT: Representative Donna Boe
              332-1000
    
    STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/ FISCAL NOTE
    
    HCR40