SB 267- This act provides for certain changes relating to juvenile offenders.

CERTIFICATION OF CHILDREN: This act takes out any age requirement for a child to be certified as an adult for trial. The prosecuting attorney may file the petition for certification. The age of the child will be a factor in the certification hearing.

ASSESSMENT BY JUVENILE OFFICER: The juvenile officer shall make an assessment of any child referred to the juvenile court. Police officers may take fingerprints of children taken into custody without court approval.

PLACEMENT IN DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES (DYS) The court may direct that a child be placed within DYS pursuant to length of stay guidelines. The court shall set the minimum and maximum time periods for each length of stay. If a secure care facility reaches ninety-eight percent capacity, DYS may release certain children who do not pose an undue risk to the community. If a child was involved in a serious crime, he shall not be released prior to the end of his length of stay. Certain children may be transferred to the Department of Corrections if adequate facilities are not available. The State Advisory Board of Youth Services shall develop length of stay guidelines for use by juvenile judges.

JUVENILE COURT PROCEEDINGS: Juvenile court proceedings shall be closed except that juvenile officers may provide information: 1) about the child to the victim, witnesses, the child's school, and law enforcement, 2) about the offense to the public. Once the child has been tried, the records of the proceeding shall be open to the public.

JUVENILE RECORDS: Prior criminal convictions shall include a juvenile adjudication for the purpose of questioning the credibility of a witness if it occurs within three years of the commission of the current crime. Such an adjudication may also be used to establish the defendant as a prior or persistent offender if the juvenile adjudication occurred within three years of the later crime.
JAMES KLAHR