Bills Allow 14-Year-Olds to Be Tried as Adults in Some Crimes

Gov. Pete Wilson has signed into law a package of three anti-crime bills that allow minors as young as 14 who are charged with violent serious crimes to be tried, convicted and imprisoned as adults.

The three bills are SB 23X by Sen. Bill Leonard (R-Big Bear Lake), AB 560 by Sen. Steve Peace (D-Bonita) and SB 1539 by Sen. Dan McCorquodale (D-Modesto). Peace introduced his bill when he was in the Assembly.

In 1992, juveniles were responsible for 19% of the state’s murders, according to the governor, and arrests of minors for violent crimes increased 63.7% from 1987 to 1992.

In addition, the governor said street gangs have increasingly enlisted juveniles to carry out violent crimes because gangs know that existing laws treat minors more leniently than adults.

“When young violent offenders kill, rape or rob, they must be given the same penalty as adults, because it doesn’t matter to their victims how old they are,” the governor told a Capitol news conference.

GOVERNOR

Bills Signed

* Juvenile Handgun Penalties: AB 2470 by Assemblyman Richard Rainey (R-Walnut Creek) makes minors convicted of illegal possession of handguns subject to up to three years imprisonment, and allows judges to revoke their driver’s licenses for up to five years and order them to perform up to 500 hours of community service.

* Stalking: AB 95X by Assemblyman John Burton (D-San Francisco) requires the state Department of Corrections to notify victims, their families and court witnesses before it releases inmates who have been convicted of stalking crimes.

* Aggravated Arson: SB 1309 by Sen. William Craven (R-Oceanside) imposes a prison term of 10 years to life for arsonists who set fires that are intended to cause injury or property damage and result in either $5 million or more in damage or the destruction of five or more homes.

* Arson Reporting: AB 2336 by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) sets up a statewide computerized arson information reporting system to help local fire and law enforcement officials track and arrest arsonists.

* Registering Arsonists: AB 8X by Assemblyman Bill Hoge (R-Pasadena) requires any person convicted of arson to register with local law enforcement agencies.

* Religious Worship: AB 3103 by Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) increases the penalty from six months to a year in jail for disturbing religious church services or preventing people from attending them.