SB 970

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law permits minors who are detained in juvenile hall for habitual disobedience, truancy, or curfew violation to be held in the same facility as minors who are detained for violating any law or ordinance defining a crime, if they do not come or remain in contact with each other. Existing law also permits the detention of minors in jails and other secure facilities for the confinement of adults if the minors do not come or remain in contact with confined adults and other specified conditions are met. Existing law authorizes the involuntary detention for a period of 72 hours for evaluation of persons, including minors, who are dangerous to self or others, or gravely disabled, as defined. This bill, commencing January 1, 2016, would generally prohibit a minor or ward who is detained in, or sentenced to, any juvenile facility or other secure state or local facility from being subject to solitary confinement, as defined, unless the minor or ward poses an immediate and substantial risk of harm to others or to the security of the facility, and all other less-restrictive options have been exhausted. The bill would permit the minor or ward to be held in solitary confinement only in accordance with specified guidelines, including that the minor or ward be held in solitary confinement for only the minimum time required to address the safety risk and for a period that does not compromise the mental and physical health of the minor or ward. The bill would prohibit a minor or ward from being placed in solitary confinement for more than 24 hours in a one-week period without obtaining specified written approval. The bill would require each local and state juvenile facility to document the usage of solitary confinement, as prescribed. By increasing the duties of local juvenile facilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law establishes a juvenile justice commission in each county, but authorizes the boards of supervisors of 2 or more adjacent counties to agree to establish a regional juvenile justice commission in lieu of a county juvenile justice commission. Existing law specifies the membership of these commissions, including that 2 or more members shall be persons who are 14 to 21 years of age, inclusive, and that a regional juvenile justice commission shall consist of not less than 8 citizens. Existing law requires a juvenile justice commission to annually inspect any jail or lockup that, in the preceding calendar year, was used for confinement for more than 24 hours of any minor, and to report the results of the inspection, together with its recommendations based thereon, in writing, to the juvenile court and the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law authorizes a commission to recommend to any person charged with the administration of the Juvenile Court Law those changes as it has concluded, after investigation, will be beneficial, and to publicize its recommendations. This bill, commencing January 1, 2016, would require that 2 or more members of these commissions be parents or guardians of previously or currently incarcerated youth, and one member be a licensed social worker, licensed psychiatrist, or licensed psychologist with expertise in adolescent development, if there are available persons who meet those requirements, as specified. The bill also would increase from 8 to 10 the minimum number of members of a regional juvenile justice commission. The bill would authorize a juvenile justice commission to annually inspect any facility within the county other than a jail or lockup that, in the preceding calendar year, was used for confinement for more than 24 hours of any minor. The bill would authorize a juvenile justice commission to review the records of the jail, lockup, or other facility as to the use of solitary confinement, and to additionally report the results of the inspection, together with its recommendations based thereon, in writing, to the county board of supervisors. The bill would authorize the commission to present its report at an annual hearing on the condition of juvenile justice corrections as part of a regularly scheduled public meeting of the county board of supervisors, and to publish the report on the county government's Internet Web site. The bill would also authorize a commission to publicize its recommendations made to any person charged with administration of the Juvenile Court Law on the county government's Internet Web site. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.