Florida Sheriff on Juvenile Crime: 'Time to Start Kicking a Little Ass'

Juvenile Crime Crisis in Volusia County

• 🚨 Sheriff Mike Chitwood describes a significant rise in juvenile violence since 2020, citing extreme cases like 15-year-olds strangling mothers, 12-year-olds shooting at police, and 15-year-olds committing carjackings and shootings.
• 📈 Specific incidents highlighted include a 15-year-old stabbing, 10 teens arrested for a mob beatdown, a teen killed in a drug ripoff, and four teens arrested for drive-by shootings.

Lack of Accountability

• ⚖️ Chitwood attributes the rise in juvenile crime to a pervasive lack of accountability, extending to parents and schools.
• 🚫 He notes that some prosecutors are unwilling to prosecute juvenile offenders, which exacerbates the problem.
• 🔑 The sheriff emphasizes the need for swift consequences, stating that age should not be a barrier to accountability for violent crimes.

Proposed Solutions and Accountability Measures

• ⛓️ Chitwood advocates for holding juveniles accountable by using ankle monitors, trying them as adults, and pursuing legal action against parents.
• 🔙 He calls for a return to policies like direct-file juvenile laws, where 15-year-olds who use a gun in a crime can be charged as adults.
• 🚓 Sheriff Chitwood stresses that police must be allowed to do their jobs and that a