MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — State lawmakers are getting to work on a sweeping juvenile justice reform agenda that could lead to tough new legislation within a year — something a veteran prosecutor and sheriff says is badly needed as crime rates soar.
In November, House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, announced the creation of the House Juvenile Crime Assessment and Strategic Reform Ad Hoc Committee, a five-member panel tasked with reviewing existing laws and recommending news ones with input from law enforcement, educators mental health professionals and other experts.
“South Carolina cannot ignore the troubling rise in juvenile violence,” Smith said in a news statement at the time. “Families and communities are being devastated, and our current systems are not keeping pace with the crisis. This committee will work quickly and carefully to produce meaningful recommendations and legislation for the upcoming session. Our goal is to intervene earlier, strengthen support systems, and protect our young people before lives are lost.”…