Nearly 500 people will gather on October 25th at 7:00pm at Christ the King Catholic Church on Arlington Road.

At this event, we will have legislators and candidates present to share their stance on a bill that would make civil citations mandatory for all first time offenders that commit the offenses listed below. This Civil Citation Bill for 2017 legislative cycle will increase civil citations across the state and ensure that all counties use the law in the same manner. Right now 10,000 kids are being arrested each year. Youth in Jacksonville are treated differently than youth in Pinellas County or Miami Dade.

 Possession of alcoholic beverages by a minor
 Battery (a youth hits someone and there was no injury, VERY different from aggravated assault that causes injury)
 Criminal mischief (minor vandalism to a property)
 Petit theft (stealing less than $300 worth)
 Retail theft (stealing less than $300 worth of products)
 Trespassing
 Resisting an officer without violence (mouthing off, running or giving false identification)
 Affrays and riots (when two or more youth decide to fight)
 Disorderly conduct
 Possession of cannabis or other controlled substances
 Possession, sale, manufacture, etc. of drug paraphernalia

3. Law enforcement may give a civil citation for any other first, second or third misdemeanor currently included under civil citation program. Again, the officer has DISCRETION to issue civil citations for all other offenses and to give a child a second or third chance.

So far, Senator Gibson and Candidates Whitfield, Griffin and Davis have strongly committed to support our bill. They committed to co-sponsor at our Community Problems Assembly on the 25th. Pictures from that event are below and a link to an interview on First Coast Connect.

http://news.wjct.org/post/10242016-juvenile-justice-secrets-maat-onecor924 (interview)