ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
REVISED
juvenile offenders;
prevention; definition
Purpose
Establishes a uniform
definition for “prevention” throughout Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 8,
Children.
Background
In 1998, an independent
auditing firm performed a state-funded audit of the performance and cost
effectiveness of Arizona’s juvenile justice system. While the audit concluded that Arizona had one of the best systems
in the nation, the audit recommended improvements.
The Juvenile Justice
Coordinating Committee (JJCC), established by Laws 1999, Chapter 107, is
charged with supervising and assisting in the implementation of the audit
recommendations. One of the audit
recommendations was to increase collaboration in the juvenile justice system
and among those that work with families that have youth in the system. The JJCC determined that a statutory
definition of “prevention” would assist State agencies in coordinating juvenile
justice efforts.
During the interim, the JJCC
discussed the definition of “prevention,” both in a working group and as a full
committee. S.B. 1109 is the result of
those discussions and defines “prevention” for use in A.R.S. Title 8.
Any potential fiscal impact
is undetermined at this time.
Provisions
1. Defines “prevention” as the creation of conditions, opportunities and experiences that encourage and develop healthy, self-sufficient children and that occur before the onset of problems.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
· Inserts the word "health" in place of the word "medical" in two parts of the bill.
Senate Action
JUD 1/29/02 DP 8-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/6/02 27-0-3-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 13, 2002