Officials dealing with juveniles who have committed violent crimes perpetually face a decision: Should the young people receive rehabilitation before being sent back into society or placed into the prison system as an adult?
At some level, that decision has already been decided by the state.
“The juvenile system, by statute, is designed for rehabilitation. That’s very clear,” McCann said. “Whereas the adult system is a more punitive-based system, with rehabilitation also as a goal, but not the primary goal.”
The juvenile system, which focuses on rehabilitation after a conviction, has a maximum sentence of five years, while the adult system does not have similar sentencing limitations.
The Youthful Offender System, which was established in Pueblo in 1994, serves as a middle ground between juvenile and adult. Young adults who commit violent felonies can spend their sentences there, instead of in the adult system, and receive rehabilitation services.
There is …