Thirteen juveniles were arrested earlier this year on suspicion of criminal threat in connection with alleged threats within a school or at a school. The threats allegedly involved students from Junction City Middle School, the Junction City High School Career Academy campus or the Freshman Success Academy.
What is happening to those juveniles in the court system?
Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell could not discuss specific cases, but was able to talk about the issue in general terms. “Everyone that we had arrested felony level charges. Now granted it would be low level felony cases considering the latitude we had in charging. There’s nothing specific right now in the Kansas statutes regarding threats made against a school.” Blaisdell said as a result authorities have to look under the criminal threat statute and the felony criminal threat statute on their behavior. “So basically, they’re treated like any other felony criminal case in the juvenile system.”
The county attorney explained there are options. Because they are low level felony allegations her office can consider diversions, “which are basically deferred prosecutions. So for a period of time if that individual stays out of trouble, complies with different requirements and restrictions that case can ultimately be dismissed. They are not facing an actual conviction on their record.”Another option could be to contest the case, “set it for trial and challenge it just like any person has the right to challenge. The last option would be if is they wanted to plead to something then they would be looking at a period of probation.”
Blaisdell noted that the nature of these offenses do not include presumptive prison terms. She indicated a couple of the cases are an exception from the standards, and may have to be considered separately. But the majority of the cases will be a probation or diversion type resolution for the charge of criminal threat.
Blaisdell does believe that her office look at the mental health of all those arrested just to ensure their belief if it was an isolated incident or joking matter that they’re reviewing the mental health of each defendant to ensure they’re being the full consideration in these cases.
The Junction City Little Theater will present the Wizard of Oz at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21-22, and again Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 27-28-29 at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.
