1997-07-10                     House Journal                      Page 1957
HB 6                                                                         
The following letter, dated June 4, 1997, was received:                        
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                        
                                                                               
On this date I have signed the following bill and am transmitting the          
engrossed and enrolled copies to the Lieutenant Governor's Office for          
permanent filing:                                                              
                                                                               
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 6(FIN) am S                               
"An Act relating to minors and amending laws relating to the                  
disclosure of information relating to certain minors; and amending             
Rule 3(c), Alaska Delinquency Rules."                                          
                                                                               
Chapter No. 64, SLA 1997                                                      
	ªEffective Date:  September 2, 1997ß                                          
                                                                               
I am signing this bill because I believe a certain level of disclosure of      
names of juvenile offenders is appropriate to protect the public.  Last        
year the Governors Conference on Youth and Justice recommended                 
the names of  juveniles found guilty of serious offenses be made               
public.  This recommendation was included in legislation I introduced          
this past session.                                                             
                                                                               

1997-07-10                     House Journal                      Page 1958
HB 6                                                                         
However, I am concerned this bill goes too far in releasing the names          
of those youths who can be dealt with successfully without formal              
court intervention.  Releasing the names of juveniles in these                 
informally adjusted cases is something no other state has done.  This          
is untested ground on which we should tread softly.  Disclosure of             
these youths who have accepted responsibility for the act and are              
working with their parents and the state may place unnecessary                 
obstacles in their path to trying to stay out of trouble.  I encourage the     
legislature to revisit next year the disclosure of adjusted cases.             
                                                                               
                                                                               
Serious questions have also been raised concerning  the provision in           
this bill that allows disclosure of  juvenile offenders prior to their         
adjudication of guilt by the court.  We will closely monitor these             
petitioned cases in the coming months to see if innocent youths and            
their families are being subjected to harmful public disclosure.               
                                                                               
                                                                               
The Governors Conference on Youth and Justice recommended many                 
actions to address juvenile crime.  A number of these recommendations          
are contained in bills and in my budget that I introduced this past            
session.  Unfortunately, this is the only significant bill the legislature     
approved this year regarding our youth justice system.  We must take           
a comprehensive approach to amending our youth justice system,                 
including prevention and treatment, if we are to see positive results.         
Merely releasing the names of offenders will not turn the tide of              
increased juvenile crime.                                                      
                                                                               
                                                                               
These legislative measures offered alternatives to the state court system      
in handling offenders, established a statewide treatment program for           
youths facing alcohol and drug problems, formally established the              
successful Healthy Families program, and improved the delivery of              
foster care services.  I strongly urge attention to these bills during next    
years legislative session.                                                     
                                                                               
							Sincerely,                                                              
							/s/                                                                     
							Tony Knowles                                                            
							Governor"