Juveniles who get arrested for non-serious offenses can find themselves burdened with a criminal conviction that will prevent from joining the military, obtaining a job or qualifying for college scholarships.
To help young people facing this potential problem, Broward Organized Leaders Doing Justice, known as BOLD Justice is encouraging law enforcement agencies to participate in a civil citation program. BOLD Justice has established a strong relationship with the Hollywood Police Department. The department is placing more juveniles who have been arrested into the civil citation program.
“We have been working with the Hollywood Police Department to issue civil citations,” said Roland Abel, co-president of BOLD Justice. “Over the past 52 percent of eligible children have received civil citations. This is not where it could be or should be. We want it to be 100 percent.”
Those juveniles who are placed into the civil citation program are required to complete a program meant to discourage further misconduct. But they don’t have a criminal record that follows them for life.
“We support law enforcement and we respect the work that law enforcement officers are doing. But we want to help our young people. If a child has been arrested for a non-serious offense, we don’t want them to have a criminal record that will impede their future,” said Rev. Michael Johnson, pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hollywood.
For more information, call 954-463-2322.
