Boot Camps to Close in FL
by TChris
Most laws named after crime victims are bad laws, but the Martin Lee Anderson Act is an exception. Martin died after he was beaten by guards at a Florida boot camp. (TalkLeft coverage of Martin's death is collected here.) The Martin Lee Anderson Act ends the "tough love" tactics employed by Florida boot camps.
They are to be replaced by less confrontational academies called Sheriff's Training and Respect, or STAR, that use more education and after care. The law shifts funding from the boot camps to STAR.
Martin's parents applaud the change, but they deserve more.
"But I would still like the guards to be accountable for killing my baby," Jones said, holding a picture of her son in a basketball uniform. "He was only 14."
A special prosecutor is deciding whether charges should be filed.
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