Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Lyon County Juvenile Probation An Exercise in Failure

As I am 19, I have seen a lot of kids go through probation. Living in a small town I know a lot of them well. The system just seems to chew these kids up and spit them right back out.
The point of probation and parole is to pay a debt to society, if that's the case how come we are seeing KIDS guilty of misdemeanors, stay on probation for 3 plus years in a lot of cases. To say this is a failing of the court and justice system is an understatment.
Probation officers promise these kids they will get off sooner for paying fines, doing community service, and behaving then tac on additional fines and requirements. In some cases these kids get trapped on probation and parole until adulthood and beyond. The promise that your PO is looking into your best interest  and that of society is a lie if you are a minor in Lyon County. The system needs cleaning and reform.
From talking to many of these kids, they lose hope that they will ever get off. Some turn to drugs and alcohol and disregard urinary analysis tests, because they feel the worst that will happen is they will get sent to juvy or ROP and they are just as trapped free as they would locked up. The hopeless feeling comes from 6pm curfews, grade requirements, and the endless length of probation increased by fines. I know families who are crippled under the debt of ancle monitor fees, resititution, and violation fees.
This is not fair, and this should not stand. The system of juvenile probation and parole has a place, but it needs reform in Lyon County. It is a failure to our youth. I would like for people to like and share this post to help gain exposure to the injustice of this system.

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