From the READING EAGLE:
When Pennsylvania’s juvenile court system was established more than a century ago, most youthful offenders were given the presumption of innocence…
As a result, since 1901, court officials believed that a youthful indiscretion should not follow an offender through his or her adult life. Youngsters who committed crimes – most of which in those days were petty theft, minor vandalism or something of that ilk – should be given an opportunity for rehabilitation, and thus most juvenile court proceedings were closed to the public…
We long have contended that government works best when it works in the full vision of the public, and we see no reason why that should not apply to most juvenile court proceedings…
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