JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Children in Adult Prisons

**THANK YOU, due to your efforts SB 793 was passed out of the senate yesterday! **

SB 793 has been voted out of the Senate and is now in the House for consideration.

Currently Missouri law allows for incarcerated children to be held in adult prisons before their trials.  While they have been charged with serious offences, these children have not yet been convicted of a crime. SB 793 would require children to be prosecuted in juvenile courts unless the child is certified as an adult or is being prosecuted for a traffic or curfew violation. Additionally, the bill specifies that no person under the age of 18 may be detained in an adult jail unless the person has been certified as an adult. This bill does NOT change the ability of the court to certify youth as adults for heinous crimes and hold these offenders in adult facilities.

Please continue to keep pressure on the House now to pass this important piece of legislation! Be watching for JC/DC alerts as this bill begins to work its way through the House. #18in18 because 17 is too young!!

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Carla Wiese
VP Legislation and Advocacy
Missouri PTA
[email protected]