A new study says Florida can save millions of dollars and keep thousands of children out of juvenile jails by expanding what’s known as the civil citation system. Its a voluntary program where police can issue tickets instead of arresting kids and Dewey Caruthers says his study shows that everyone benefits.
Caruthers says he looks at this from three key perspectives, is it good for children, does it improve public safety and is it good for taxpayers? The answer to all three is a resounding yes.
Kids who get a civil citation have to perform community service and write letters of apology to the victim and the police. Dewey says taxpayers save as much as 45-hundred dollars each time an officer issues a citation instead of making an arrest.
