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WHICH OF YOU BELIEVES THIS KID
SHOULD BE TRIED AS AN ADULT?
>> WELL, I DO.
>> OKAY.
>> MY QUESTION IS -- I'M GOING
TO SWITCH FROM YOU, THEN TO GO
TO DARREN.
AND DARREN, LET ME ASK THIS.
IS IT REASONABLE TO RISK THE
PUBLIC SAFETY TO TRY THIS KID AS
A CHILD AND USE THE JUVENILE
SYSTEM, DARREN?
>> WELL, HERE'S THE PROBLEM.
THE JUVENILE SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR
REHABILITATION.
IT'S ONE OF THE STATED GOALS OF
THE JUVENILE SYSTEM THAT
PEOPLE -- THAT JUVENILES BE
REHABILITATED.
THE LAW RECOGNIZES THAT
PHYSIOLOGICALLY, EMOTIONALLY
THEIR BRAINS, THEIR BEHAVIOR NOT
AS DEVELOPED, NOT AS CULPABLE.
HERE'S THE PROBLEM IN THIS
PARTICULAR CASE.
IS THAT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE
SYSTEM IN FLORIDA IF HE WERE
TRIED AS A JUVENILE HE WOULD
HAVE TO BE RELEASED AT AGE 21.
AND THE REASON THAT THEY'VE GONE
INTO THE ADULT SYSTEM IS BECAUSE
THE PROSECUTOR IN THAT CASE,
AFTER SHOWING UP IN COURT AFTER
MEETING WITH THE DEFENSE TEAM,
AFTER DOING A THOROUGH
INVESTIGATION, THAT PROSECUTOR
IS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA
THAT THIS KID'S GOING TO GET ALL
THE HELP HE NEEDS DURING THE
SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS THAT HE'D
BE IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT BY
PUTTING HIM INTO THE ADULT
SYSTEM WHERE HE FACES LIFE
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
PAROLE, I.E. NEVER GETTING OUT,
WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO SOLVE
A PROBLEM BY FOCUSING ON THE
SYMPTOMS, NOT FIXING THE
UNDERLYING PROBLEM.
>> I'VE GOT IT.
I'VE GOT TO GIVE LONI A CHANCE.
HAVE AT IT.
>> DARREN JUST TOOK THE WHOLE
ARGUMENT, AND THAT IS THE REASON
HE CAN'T BE TRIED AS A JUVENILE,
EVEN THOUGH IT SOUNDS HORRIBLE
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THIS IS A
12-YEAR-OLD CHILD WHO'S EVEN
YOUNGER EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY
THAN 12 BASED ON ALL THE ABUSE
HE'S DEALT WITH, IF HE'S TRIED
AS A JUVENILE AT 21 HE IS DONE.
THE STATE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE
ABOUT HELPING HIM,
REHABILITATING HIM.
HE IS BACK OUT ON THE STREETS.
AND WE'VE SEEN OVER AND OVER
AGAIN THESWHO DO THESE
HORRIFIC CRIMES AT 12 OR 13
THEY'RE OUT AT 21 AND THEY END
UP DOING SOMETHING ELSE HORRIFIC
IN THEIR LIFE.
>> LONI, THEN WE NEED TO CHANGE
THE LAW.
WE DON'T NEED TO TRY AND TWIST
THIS AROUND SO THIS JUVENILE --
BECAUSE HE'S A JUVENILE.
HE'S A CHILD.
>> HE IS.
>> WE DON'T THROW IT INTO THE
ADULT SYSTEM JUST BECAUSE WE
DON'T LIKE THE 21-YEAR-OLD
EXIT --
>> THE LAW IS NOT EQUIPPED FOR
THAT.
THAT'S WHY THE PROSECUTOR'S VERY
CLEAR.
SHE SAID LOOK, I HAVE GREAT
SYMPATHY FOR THIS CHILD --
>> THEN CHANGE THE LAW.
>> -- BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
WE KEEP SOCIETY SAFE BECAUSE
HE'S GOT ISSUES.