Law requires office to purchase gifts for juveniles

NEWS 9

Troubled children and teens in state custody may not be getting a Christmas present next year.

Authorities are working to provide a more meaningful gift.

A 1935 law requires the Office of Juvenile Affairs to use donated money to purchase a Christmas present for every child in its custody.

These days, a lot of those kids are actually young adults. The office has more than $90,000 dollars in donated funds and authorities think the money could be better spent.

"For example there are some education needs we could address - further vocational education or maybe even higher ed," Executive Director Gene Christian said.

The executive director says if the law was changed, they could use that money for education or mentoring programs.