Southern bishops urge changes in juvenile prosecution, imprisonment

Published: 2004-01-15

MARTIN, Ky. (CNS) -- In their third pastoral statement in a series of criminal justice statements, the Catholic bishops of the Southern states said they're disturbed by trends including the prosecution of juvenile offenders as adults. In "'Suffer the Little Children ...': Juvenile Justice in the South," the bishops asked people to limit the availability of handguns, to take more of a role in engaging youths in activities through community programs, and to generally "make more of an investment in prevention of crime by juveniles." The statement, released by the Kentucky-based Catholic Committee of the South, was endorsed during Advent by 42 bishops from 12 Southern states. Like two previous statements, it focused on the impact of current trends in criminal justice on Southerners. It raised concerns about child poverty, the number of children held in correctional facilities, the disproportionate number of minority juveniles who are prosecuted and imprisoned, and the number of youths jailed with adults. "In several of our Southern states, one out of every five children lives in poverty," the statement said. "We have consistently pointed out that extreme poverty is a serious contributor to crime. Fighting poverty, educating children and supporting families are essential anti-crime strategies and we call on people of good will to join in these efforts."

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