Juvenile Justice Advocates Rally Support for Christopher's Bill

Asking for public support to sign the online petition set to be submitted to Senator John Drummond.

Columbia, SC (PRWEB) April 16, 2006 -- Juvenile Justice Advocates from the Internet-based organization Justice for Juveniles are seeking public support for it's online petition sponsoring Christopher's Bill, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act.

Inspired by the case of 12-year-old Christopher Pittman who was sentenced as an adult to 30 years in prison for the killings of his grandparents in 2001, Christopher's Bill seeks to reform legislation governing children being tried and sentenced as adults. The Bill is set to be submitted to Senator John Drummond in the near future. In light of the current appeal underway at the state Supreme Court for Christopher Pittman, advocates are urging public support by signing the online petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/429258617?ltl=1139599496.

The introduction to the petition states: "In SC and other US states, children as young as 10 are being arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced as adults under mandatory sentencing mandates. Children are being sentenced to mandatory terms created to net young people involved in gang violence and the drug trades. Children are being sentenced to life without parole. Often under the influence of prescription drugs, otherwise average and above average children commit unthinkable crimes. These children are then thrown into a court and sentencing system designed for hardcore adult criminals. Mandatory sentencing does not take into consideration the past non-violent social history or the effects strong prescription drugs have on young minds. The results are ruined young lives. We need your support. Please sign this petition and lend your name to the pursuit of Juvenile Justice." (Christopher's Bill was written by Michael Maloney with a contact link at the bottom of the Bill.)

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