In 2014, the Colorado Department of Education registered over 6,000 allegations involving drugs, nearly 4,000 alleged assaults, and about 700 allegations of dangerous weapons being found in the state’s public schools. Colorado law enforcement are required to report allegations of crime that they investigate in schools – but according to some Colorado lawmakers, those reports are not occurring as frequently as they should.
That’s why a few lawmakers are attempting to strengthen reporting requirements for schools through new laws introduced in recent months, according to a news report from CBS 4. According to lawmakers who support the new legislation, the rules passed in 2012 to require reporting are weak because they are unfunded and because there is no single, uniform reporting system. The proposed bills aim to change both circumstances in order to improve both the frequency and the quality of reports.
Another representative is supporting a bill that would create more opportunities for intervention before police are called, including treatment, therapy, or education. If implemented effectively, such measures could help reduce the burden on the state’s juvenile courts, reduce criminal charges for young people, and help correct youthful mistakes early, instead of setting students on a downward path.
If your child has been charged with a crime in Colorado, don’t wait: contact an experienced Colorado juvenile crime defense attorney immediately. The team at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. fights vigorously to protect the legal rights of each client we represent and to pursue the best possible outcome in each case. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.