Riley Signs Juvenile Justice Reform Bill

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Gov. Bob Riley has signed a law that
will keep troubled teenagers who run away and are truant from
school from being locked up in juvenile detention.
The Juvenile Justice reform law is designed to send teens who
haven't committed crimes to community programs and not the
Department of Youth Services.
Riley said that recently at least 79 percent of the kids in DYS
custody were locked up for nonviolent behavior.
The law gives counties 18 months to develop programs that the
youngsters can go to and the teens can still be sent to DYS during
this time.
At the end of the 18 months, however, non-criminal teens will no
longer be allowed to be locked up in DYS.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)