Senate Gives Final Approval to Youthful Offender Task Force

The full Senate has given final approval to a measure creating the Youthful Offender Task Force of 2005. Senator Nancy Riley, R-Tulsa and Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, are co-authors of the measure. Riley said Senate Bill 458 would help lawmakers scrutinize how Oklahoma deals with juveniles in state custody.

“In the past two decades alone, many of the dynamics surrounding youthful offenders have dramatically changed. The average age of youthful offenders is actually older than it used to be. At the same time, we’re seeing increasingly violent crimes being committed by younger and younger children,” Riley said. “There’s a very real concern that the laws and policies adopted due to situations that existed twenty years ago may actually be contributing to our problems today.”

Sen. Riley said she and Rep. Lamons were among many officials concerned about several issues, such as being able to transfer a youthful offender to the custody of the Department of Corrections in order to allow continued confinement and treatment. Another area of concern is the placement of offenders as young as 12 being placed in facilities with much older teenagers.

“We’re also very concerned about the safety of state employees who work in these facilities. There seems to have been an increase in the numbers of physical assaults on staff that warrant a serious look at the problems resulting from increasingly aggressive youthful offenders.”

The legislation outlines a 13 member panel with appointees by the Governor, Legislative leaders and designees of other agencies and organizations. The task force would hold their first meeting on or before July 15 and would have to complete their work by January 6, 2006.