City Government

City To Ponder Law Before Taking Plunge

Kudos to Boise City mothers and fathers for taking time to study an ordinance banning various river jumping activities before passing it. The law would be a misdemeanor–like DUI and shoplifting.

They rightfully note most of the criminals who would be charged with the violation are juveniles. Coppers don’t want to be burdened with arresting the youths, transporting them to the station, filing charges in juvenile court, and then testifying.

Instead, they want to just write a ticket. And that is the rub. Under Idaho law only ADULTS can get tickets. KIds just aren’t in a position for the most part to make court appearances, pay fines, etc. Boise City Council is without authority to declare juveniles as “adults” for the purpose of writing tickets.

There are exceptions, mostly for ADULT acts (and violations) that juveniles are permitted to do, such as drive cars, fish and game violations etc. Only the legislature has the authority to make exceptions to juvenile “STATUS.” There are no fines in juvenile court–the goal is “youth rehabilitation,” not revenue generating.

From a practical standpoint common sense rather than punishment and enforcement should be the rule of the day. If it is stupid or dangerous a little police counseling will do the trick. If an attitude adjustment is in order, a trip to the station is always an alternative–along with the paper work.

Writting “adult tickets” to kids will only result in more court visits, contempt citations, and kids getting before a judge for just being a kid.

UPDATE– The council wisely tabled the proposed ordinance late Tueaday and apparently a few resented the manner in which city staffers (read that Team Dave) tried to fast track it through.
The DAILY PAPER posted the council decision.

Comments & Discussion

Comments are closed for this post.

  1. All of this reminds me of a time when Bogus Basin tried in vain to enforce rules about aerial acrobatics at the ski resort. It was a futile effort and a waste of time, finally the good people at Bogus figured out doing aerials in a controlled environment was far better than trying to stop this fun and athletic sport. We now have a designated area for all manner of aerial ski and board activities at Bogus Basin.

    The Nanny State is out of control and we need to stop creating situations where kids being kids are deemed to be criminals and cops can get back to deterring criminal activity.

    Jumping from a bridge into the cold water of the Boise River on a hot summer day (if I were a lot younger) seems like one of the rights of passage for a young kid looking for adventure in their own back yard.

    EDITOR NOTE–Perhaps they can include a rope and artificial tree at the new artificial rapids being built for the kayaks.

  2. Rather than a ticket maybe they could put them out for a day cleaning up weeds along some of our city roadways. Boise is beginning to look like a 3rd world county.

    I just don’t know if you can come up with a law to stop kids from doing stupid things.

  3. Really..is society that stupid that we need government to tell us when and when not to jump in the river, remember Boise river is not Niagara Falls. Few things define coming of age better than time on the river banks. Agree on posting signs discouraging it, or informing of the potential danger, but laws????? 49 police calls in two years does not seem like an epidemic. Understand river rescues can be expensive, but the article does not link river jumping to rescues, would theorize most river rescues are related to rafting and drunk vagrants.

  4. I think the kudos should go the the Daily Paper. Had they not published their story, I think the outcome would have been different. Yeah.. a bit cynical.

  5. Don't Hate The Player
    Aug 9, 2011, 8:39 pm

    Man, I don’t get you people….

    Once again, all the usual “social responsibility” types are ranting about government intrusion. Let’s see how you feel when some punk (because that is what they are) jumps on YOU! I’m a big fan of letting people jump into the river off a bridge. I’m an even bigger fan of the kids who do it in a more responsible way (like not on top of floaters). Just like the beer ban, this is what happens when the few spoil it for the rest. As to the blocking bridge access/harassment, throw the book at them. Try to actually use the swim docks out at Quinn’s Pond the last few years? I thought not…

  6. The Nanny State. Makes me sick to find this kinda crap in Idaho government.

  7. PS: Have you seen footage from the London riots? How long ya think a riot like that would last in Boise? Now think if Team Dave gets all the commie liberal laws they want passed; how long would it last then? London was a safe place before the liberals screwed it up. Same story with our major US cities. Time to take back our simple low cost town before these tax and spend liberal fruitcakes ruin it forever.

  8. Rod in SE Boise
    Aug 10, 2011, 3:14 pm

    When you consider the Nanny Federal Government, the Nanny State of Idaho, and the Nanny City of Boise, the Nanny City of Boise is by FAR the worst offender with the most influence, and the most opportunity to use that influence on our daily lives. The City of Boise needs to get out of the business of regulating people.

  9. I think that most of you posting comments – and a tremendous number posting comments on the Statesman page – have little idea what this is in regard to.

    It is not about kids jumping off of bridges, rope swings, or concrete structures near the river.

    It is about kids that divebomb oncoming rafters, on purpose, simply to be a menace to them. Most of the time they simply cannonball near the raft to splash the rafters, but every once and a while they actually jump on or into the rafts.

    That’s the problem; nothing else. The police and city are simply trying to avoid fights or other consequences of kids doing this.

  10. What about preaching?? On a particularly slow moving section of the Boise River, I had to listen to a river bank preacher talking about the wages of sin and redemption through Jesus. I’ll take my chances with the kids.

    If you nanny state haters are so righteous, why don’t you write your TB politicos and get rich farmers off the Federal hind tit?

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