Bill > SB1381

This bill modifies several provisions of Missouri's juvenile justice law, focusing on court proceedings and detention procedures. The bill expands the juvenile court's jurisdiction to include children in need of mental health services, clarifies transfer procedures between county courts, and introduces new criteria for detaining juveniles. Specifically, it allows for transfer of jurisdiction between courts more flexibly, permits detention of a child for up to 24 hours with specific conditions, and requires juvenile officers to conduct a comprehensive risk and needs assessment for each child referred to juvenile court. The bill introduces a point-based system for assessing whether a juvenile should be detained, and provides a mechanism for prosecuting attorneys to request transfer to adult court if they believe the juvenile officer did not properly conduct the risk assessment. The legislation also addresses issues of age misrepresentation, transfer hearings for serious offenses, and ensures that a child's disability or disease of a parent cannot be the sole basis for removing custody. Additionally, the bill emphasizes considerations such as the seriousness of the offense, the child's history, sophistication, and potential for rehabilitation when making judicial decisions.

Justice

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=353