View Daily Data Tracking History
View Bill Text
View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
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
HCR040|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO |||| Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session - 1998IN 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
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