Broward faculty district votes to terminate PROMISE program

The Broward County Faculty Board has voted to scrap the controversial PROMISE program, which was aimed toward retaining college students out of the legal justice system.

Launched in 2013, this system — which stands for Stopping Recidivism via Alternatives, Mentoring, Intervention, Help, and Schooling — was designed to chop down on the college district’s variety of in-school arrests, which had been the very best within the state at the moment.

Beneath this system, college students within the county who dedicated a particular non-violent behavioral infraction that will usually result in a juvenile delinquency arrest had been supplied a substitute for being arrested. They had been issued a non-criminal quotation by the district, despatched to various colleges, and given counseling and different companies the district provides.

Infractions equivalent to possession of alcohol, drug use, vandalism, and petty theft had been among the many incidents that certified for this system.

This system had been praised by the Obama administration’s Justice Division.

However on Tuesday, the college board to dissolve this system in a 5-to-2 vote.

Those that opposed this system stated it was an avenue that allowed college students off the hook with out involving regulation enforcement.

It additionally confronted a lot criticism in 2018 as a result of the Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz was assigned to this system however by no means accomplished it. Crus attended Stoneman Douglas Excessive Faculty however was expelled in 2017 for disciplinary causes. As he couldn’t be expelled from the Broward County Faculty system fully, he was transferred to another placement. He’s presently serving life in jail.

Learn: Parkland faculty shooter formally sentenced to life in jail

Plans for a revamped program

In response to Broward Colleges Superintendent Peter Licata, there can be a proposal for a revamped program. However for now, all the companies supplied by this system will stay in place. He says he needs the district to be proactive in coping with misdemeanor crimes dedicated by college students.

“It’s our duty as a college district that if an motion occurs in a sure faculty, we now have to guarantee that they’re skilled to do the identical factor as one other faculty,” he instructed the board.

“We need to guarantee that the whole lot is finished entrance as an alternative of again. Cease engaged on the response and be proactive in that. So these companies will in all probability develop as we transfer ahead.”

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