Florida Supreme Court Drastically Limits Shackling - In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure
Published Dec 17, 2009, Provided by National Juvenile Defender Center
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Attached is the Florida Supreme Court's opinion authorizing changes to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure. The most important change is the Court's finding that indiscriminate shackling of juveniles is "repugnant, degrading, humiliating, and contrary to the stated primary purposes of the juvenile justice system and to the principles of therapeutic justice" and "may violate the children's due process rights and infringe on their right to counsel."
Please note: The work of NJDC and some of the members of the Florida Juvenile Indigent Defense Action Network helped make this ruling possible.
