DJJ Task Force News Conference
November 13, 1995
Remember that our first goal in reshaping D-J-J was to settle the lawsuit that had us tied up in litigation for five years. We did that within six months.
Our second goal was to address some of the immediate problems within the walls of D-J-J. We are in the process of doing that, and we'll keep monitoring the implementation of changes there.
Today, we're turning to our third and more long-term goal. We must begin addressing the root causes in juvenile crime that threaten our children's future...like broken families and broken values...so we can work toward lasting solutions.
Never before in our civilization have we had a generation so full of rage...and they're directing that rage at innocent people. Our neighborhoods and malls, our movie theaters and yes, our schools, have become battle zones. There are many walking wounded...and many fallen...in these battles.
Meanwhile, the children committing these crimes have grown from a handful of bad eggs to larger bands of juvenile terrorists. And every statistic, every indicator says the problem is only going to get worse. The time has come for emergency treatment.
The Task Force I am appointing today will take a compassionate but critical look at the problems of juvenile crime in South Carolina. These men and women will draw from the insights of experts who have studied this problem in-depth. They'll also draw on their own everyday experiences in the world of juvenile crime. And with an eye toward recovery for hurting families, Task Force members will reach out to troubled children and their parents.
Yes, we want to be tough on crime and on those who commit crimes. We want to make sure that people who break the law pay the price. But these children are children we're talking about, and hopefully not yet hardened criminals. They're still within our grasp, but they're in critical need of a team of experts who can provide some intensive care.
So think of this Task Force as the Governor's triage (tree-ahje) team. We must determine the problems, prioritize them in terms of immediate treatment and make recommendations to the attending physician.
I've asked the task force to meet as quickly as possible to make proposals for consideration in the next legislative session. I have also asked them to view this as an ongoing mission. We will not fix our problems with one year's study and a new session of laws. Our work will be ongoing and critical. This is just the next step in the long-term care of the hearts of our children.