Juvenile Court Prosecutors

The Times is shortsighted in opposing additional funding for Juvenile Court prosecutors (“Heading Off Youth Crime,” editorial, April 27).

Our office is a national leader in fighting juvenile crime. We are working in the schools to combat truancy. We are developing an alternative sentencing program in the Antelope Valley for juveniles committing hate crimes. We led the fight for state legislation requiring the Juvenile Court to speed up its handling of juvenile cases. Our SAGE and CLEAR anti-gang prosecutors are working in our communities to help residents take back their neighborhoods, from kids painting murals instead of graffiti in Northeast Los Angeles to school mentoring programs in Whittier. We are alone among urban jurisdictions in assigning experienced prosecutors to our juvenile divisions to ensure that first-time offenders receive the treatment they require and to maximize our effort to protect the public from the violent offender.

Juvenile crime strategies only are effective if they combine prevention, intervention and suppression. All components of the juvenile justice system need additional funding--from cops on the street to probation camps to community-based prevention groups to local prosecution offices.

GIL GARCETTI

District Attorney

Los Angeles County