CC - 1976-59 - Support Less Lenient Treamentsof Juvenile OffendersRESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD URGING
THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
TO SUPPORT LESS LENIENT TREATMENT
OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD DOES RESOLVE THAT: .
WHEREAS, hard-core juvenile offenders cause sub-
stantial public and private.losses through acts of vandalism,
gang violence, and other criminal acts, and
WHEREAS; the cost of crime prevention, law enforce-
ment, and the investigation of juvenile crimes, together with
the apprehension of juvenile offenders, are all borne by
local cities, and
WHEREAS, these costs are increased substantially as
a result of excessive leniency by juvenile court judges,
referees, and probation officers, and
WHEREAS, hard-core juvenile offenders are released
from custody, returned to their communities, and provided.with
little or no supervision, their criminal activities are forced
again upon the local community, and
WHEREAS, such policy of leniency toward hard-core
juvenile offenders imposes enormous costs for police protec-
tion, and
WHEREAS, such increased costs place an insurmount-
able burden on the local taxpayers whose tax burden is already
overwhelming.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. The City Council of the City of Rosemead finds
that the excessively lenient treatment of, hard-core juvenile
offenders by the juvenile judges, referees, and probation
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officers does not deter juvenile offenders from repetition
of the same crimes for which they have been apprehended.
2. The City Council of the City of Rosemead
further finds that the policy of lenient treatment, as ex-
pressed by the courts, serves to return dangerous and de-
structive'juvenile offenders to the community at.large, and
imposes the costs of their criminal activity upon the finan-
cially overburdened residents and taxpayers of each local
community.
3. The City Council of the City of Rosemead finds
that the policy of leniency toward hard-core juvenile offend-
ers is largely the fault of the courts and Probation Depart-
ment, rather than a deficiency in the adequacy of law enforce-
ment activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:
The City Council of the City of Rosemead urges the
League of California Cities to take an affirmative stand with
the Legislature to the end of preparing and enacting legisla-
tion which will make incarceration and other more serious
punishment mandatory for juvenile offenders whose crimes are
serious enough to warrant incarceration if committed by adults,
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:
The City Council of the City of Rosemead urges the
League of California Cities to undertake a policy of education
and advocacy before the members of the judiciary to the end of
informing them of the economic and social effects of the cur-
rent policy of excessive lenience toward hard-core juvenile
offenders, and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:
The City Clerk is directed to prepare and transmit
copies of this Resolution to the League of California Cities,
the California Contract Cities Association, and the Judicial
Council of the State of California.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 24th day of AUGUST
1976.
AYES : HUNTER, IMPERIAL, TAYLOR, TRUJILLO
NOES : CTCHY `
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN : NONE
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY
Y
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