NCJ Number
94786
Date Published
1980
Length
85 pages
Annotation
Minnesota's Select Committee on Juvenile Justice developed recommendations on restitution and fines, parental liability, status offenders, due process, and serious offenders.
Abstract
Overall, the Committee encourages the continuation and State financial support of restitution programs. It also believes that the juvenile court should have the authority to levy fines and that the statutory limit on parental civil liability should be raised to $500. Regarding status offenders, the Committee recommended that juveniles whose offenses include truancy, absenting, or incorrigibility, should be adjudicated as 'dependent' rather than 'delinquent.' Voluntary placement agreements, it suggests, should be required for juvenile placement in residential treatment centers and private hospitals. Recommendations concerning due process include the suggestion that Minnesota Rules of Evidence apply in all juvenile court proceedings. Juvenile court hearings should be open and the victim must not be excluded. For serious offenders, the juvenile court should have a greater number of dispositional alternatives. Juvenile judges should have the authority to place children who fail to comply with dispositional orders in secure treatment facilities. Other recommendations pertain to the criteria for Minnesota's discretionary certification statute, juvenile records, and access to adult courts. Information on certification statutes, a bibliography, committee members and staff and witnesses, and legislation are appended.