Bill 4201

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       4201
Type of Legislation:               Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:                  House
Introduced Date:                   19950510
Primary Sponsor:                   White, 
All Sponsors:                      White, Keyserling, Richardson,
                                   Lloyd and McTeer 
Drafted Document Number:           BBM\10285AC.95
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:      19950510
Subject:                           Beaufort Marine Institute

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19950510  Received from Senate
Senate  19950510  Introduced, adopted, returned
                  with concurrence
House   19950510  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE THE BEAUFORT MARINE INSTITUTE ON ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY AND TO RECOGNIZE EACH OF THE SIX MARINE INSTITUTES OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO JUVENILE REFORM AND TO COMMEND BEAUFORT MARINE INSTITUTE IN PARTICULAR FOR ITS OUTSTANDING EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTH OF THIS STATE.

Whereas, since 1984, the six marine institutes of the State of South Carolina have served as rehabilitation camps for over three thousand, three hundred juvenile offenders with a statewide success rate of seventy percent or better; and

Whereas, these camps serve as a community-based alternative to incarceration in one of the state's juvenile detention centers; and

Whereas, the majority of the camp residents are not violent offenders but are fourteen to seventeen year olds who have behavioral problems like truancy, fighting, and petty theft with many being offshoots of drug and alcohol addicted parents, products of broken homes, and consequences of teenage pregnancies; and

Whereas, in these camps the young persons have the opportunity to turn their lives around through hard work, education, community involvement, and self-analysis; and

Whereas, the Department of Juvenile Justice has conducted studies showing that rehabilitating young persons through a marine institute is more successful and cost-effective than incarcerating them at one of the state's long-term facilities; and

Whereas, the institute's six-month program costs approximately thirteen thousand dollars compared to eighteen thousand for incarceration; and

Whereas, the Beaufort Marine Institute has a long successful record of involvement in community service projects including, but not limited to, the United Way, the Salvation Army, the "Happy Days and Special Times" program, and Habitat for Humanity projects; and

Whereas, the Beaufort Marine Institute currently has thirty-two persons at its camp and since its construction in 1985 has served 815 young people; and

Whereas, this institute believes that education is the key to the future for most of these residents and has as one of its goals the raising of each youth's educational level by at least two grades; and

Whereas, graduates of the Beaufort Marine Institute have gone on to become productive citizens by obtaining their GED and enrolling in technical schools and four-year colleges, joining the community's workforce, or joining the military service; and

Whereas, records show that less than twenty-five percent of the youths who complete BMI's program will continue to be involved with the justice system as compared to one out of every two youths sent to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility returning before they are eighteen years of age; and

Whereas, the members of the General Assembly would like to congratulate the Beaufort Marine Institute on its Tenth Anniversary and recognize each of the six marine institutes located in South Carolina for their dedication to juvenile reform and commend Beaufort Marine Institute in particular for its outstanding efforts on behalf of the youth of our State. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, congratulate the Beaufort Marine Institute on its Tenth Anniversary and recognize each of the six marine institutes located in South Carolina for their dedication to juvenile reform and commend Beaufort Marine Institute in particular for its outstanding efforts on behalf of the youth of our State.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Don MacArthur, Executive Director of the Beaufort Marine Institute on Tuesday, May 16, 1995, upon the visit of Mr. MacArthur and representatives of the other marine institutes to the General Assembly.