Hillsborough Leaders Tout Shared Goal of Second Chances for Juvenile Offenders – The Tampa Bay Times

Hillsborough County is looking to make major changes in the juvenile justice system by implementing a system that increases the use of civil citations and reduced the number of juveniles who are direct filed into adult court. Currently, while Hillsborough is giving out civil citations to only 32 percent of eligible juveniles, some counties are giving using citations at an 80-90 percent rate, according to the 2016 Stepping Up report on the use juvenile civil citations in Florida. Much credit goes to Julianne M. Holt, the Public Defender for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, who is working alongside the State Attorney, Chief Judge, and Sheriff in the county to implement the changes. Read more.