SB 52

This bill removes the three-year limit on the amount of time the Department

of Corrections may place certain juveniles participating in the Serious Juvenile

Offender Program (SJOP) in a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility or a secured

residential care center for children and youth (secured facility).

Currently, a juvenile is eligible for placement in the SJOP if he or she has been

adjudicated delinquent for committing certain felonies, including, for a juvenile 14

years of age or over, any crime punishable by life imprisonment if committed by an

adult and if he or she has been found to be a danger to the public and to be in need

of restrictive custodial treatment.

Under current law, a juvenile in the SJOP is placed in a secured facility for up

to three years or, if the juvenile has committed an act that would be punishable by

life imprisonment if committed by an adult, until the juvenile reaches 25 years of age,

unless released sooner, and provided with other sanctions, including intensive

supervision, electronic monitoring, alcohol or other drug abuse treatment and

services, mental health treatment and services, community service, restitution, and

education and employment services. This bill does not change the age 25 limit on

placement of a juvenile who has committed an act that would be punishable by life

imprisonment if committed by an adult.