[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 81 (Thursday, June 23, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          WHEN IS IT WARRANTED TO TREAT JUVENILES LIKE ADULTS

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise my colleagues about a case 
in Warwick, RI, where a convicted murderer is soon scheduled to be 
released from prison this coming October because he will then be 21 
years old.
  He was convicted of killing four females, was sentenced as a 
juvenile, and therefore will be released because of the way the law is 
written.
  Upon his release from the juvenile detention center, his entire 
record will be expunged. Yes, you heard me correctly. Craig Price will 
have no criminal record at all. Not only does this add insult to 
injury, it makes a total mockery of our criminal justice system.
  I cannot begin to imagine how shattered the families of these victims 
must be, knowing this killer, who robbed them of their loved ones, is 
due to be released after serving only 4 years for his crimes.
  What is even more galling is that it has been widely reported by the 
press that Craig Price has shown absolutely no remorse for these brutal 
crimes.
  It is imperative that the final crime bill that the House and Senate 
are currently trying to reconcile should contain a provision 
authorizing the prosecution of armed, violent, juveniles as adults.
  An even more compelling reason to charge juveniles as adults is that 
the FBI is reporting a nearly fourfold increase in the murder arrest 
rate of people under 17 from 1965 to 1992.

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