15-11-63
Code Resources
Georgia Resources
Georgia Website
Georgia Governor
Georgia Legislature
Georgia Courts
Search this Code
in Google Scholar
on the Web
Google Web Search
MSN Web Search
Yahoo! Web Search
in the News
Google News Search
Google News Archive Search
Yahoo! News Search
in the Blogs
BlawgSearch.com Search
Google Blog Search
Technorati Blog Search
in other Databases
Google Book Search
15-11-63.
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
'A carefully arranged and monitored home visit' means a home visit during which
a child is monitored by appropriate personnel of the Department of Juvenile
Justice designated pursuant to regulations of the commissioner of juvenile
justice.
(2)
'Designated felony act' means an act which:
(A)
Constitutes a second or subsequent offense under subsection (b) of Code Section
16-11-132 if committed by a child 13 to 17 years of age;
(B)
If done by an adult, would be one or more of the following crimes:
(i)
Kidnapping or arson in the first degree, if done by a child 13 or more years of
age;
(ii)
Aggravated assault, arson in the second degree, aggravated battery, robbery,
armed robbery not involving a firearm, or battery in violation of Code Section
16-5-23.1 if the victim is a teacher or other school personnel, if done by a
child 13 or more years of age;
(iii)
Attempted murder or attempted kidnapping, if done by a child 13 or more years of
age;
(iv)
The carrying or possession of a weapon in violation of subsection (b) of Code
Section 16-11-127.1;
(v)
Hijacking a motor vehicle, if done by a child 13 or more years of age;
(vi)
Any violation of Code Section 16-7-82, 16-7-84, or 16-7-86 if done by a child 13
or more years of age;
(vii)
Any other act which, if done by an adult, would be a felony, if the child
committing the act has three times previously been adjudicated delinquent for
acts which, if done by an adult, would have been felonies;
(viii)
Any violation of Code Section 16-13-31, relating to trafficking in cocaine,
illegal drugs, marijuana, or methamphetamine;
(ix)
Any criminal violation of Code Section 16-14-4, relating to racketeering;
or
(x)
Any violation of Code Section 16-10-52, relating to escape, if the child
involved in the commission of such act has been previously adjudicated to have
committed a designated felony;
(C)
Constitutes a second or subsequent adjudication of delinquency based upon a
violation of Code Section 16-7-85 or 16-7-87;
(C.1)
Constitutes any violation of Code Section 16-15-4, relating to criminal street
gangs;
(D)
Constitutes an offense within the exclusive jurisdiction of the superior court
pursuant to subparagraph (b)(2)(A) of Code Section 15-11-28 which is transferred
by the superior court to the juvenile court for adjudication pursuant to
subparagraph (b)(2)(B) of Code Section 15-11-28 or which is transferred by the
district attorney to the juvenile court for adjudication pursuant to
subparagraph (b)(2)(C) of Code Section 15-11-28; or
(E)
Constitutes a second or subsequent violation of Code Sections 16-8-2 through
16-8-9, relating to theft, if the property which was the subject of the theft
was a motor vehicle.
(3)
'Intensive supervision' means the monitoring of a child´s activities on a
more frequent basis than regular aftercare supervision, pursuant to regulations
of the commissioner of juvenile justice.
(b)
Where a child is found to have committed a designated felony act, the order of
disposition shall be made within 20 days of the conclusion of the dispositional
hearing and shall include a finding based on a preponderance of the evidence as
to whether, for the purposes of this Code section, the child does or does not
require restrictive custody under this Code section, in connection with which
the court shall make specific written findings of fact as to each of the
elements set forth in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (c) of this Code
section as related to the particular child. If the court finds that restrictive
custody under this Code section is not required, the order of disposition shall
be as otherwise provided in this article. If the court finds that restrictive
custody is required, it shall continue the proceeding and enter an order of
disposition for restrictive custody. Every order under this Code section shall
be a dispositional order, shall be made after a dispositional hearing, and shall
state the grounds for the order.
(c)
In determining whether restrictive custody is required, the court shall
consider:
(1)
The needs and best interests of the child;
(2)
The record and background of the child;
(3)
The nature and circumstances of the offense, including whether any injury
involved was inflicted by the child or another participant;
(4)
The need for protection of the community; and
(5)
The age and physical condition of the victim.
(d)
Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this Code section, the court shall order
restrictive custody in any case where the child is found to have committed a
designated felony act in which the child inflicted serious physical injury upon
another person who is 62 years of age or more.
(e)
When the order is for restrictive custody in the case of a child found to have
committed a designated felony act:
(1)
The order shall provide that:
(A)
The child shall be placed in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice
for an initial period of five years;
(B)
The child shall initially be confined in a youth development center for a period
set by the order, to be not less than 12 nor more than 60 months; provided,
however, that time spent in secure detention subsequent to the date of the order
and prior to placement in a youth development center shall be counted toward the
period set by the order; and, provided, further, that, where the order of the
court is made in compliance with subsection (f) of this Code section, the child
shall initially be confined in a youth development center for 18 months;
(C)
After the period set under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the child shall
be placed under intensive supervision for a period of 12 months;
and
(D)
The child may not be released from a youth development center or transferred to
a nonsecure facility during the period provided in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph nor may the child be released from intensive supervision during the
period provided in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, unless by court order. No
home visits shall be permitted during the first six-month period of confinement
in a youth development center unless authorized by the court except for
emergency visits for medical treatment or severe illness or death in the family.
All home visits must be carefully arranged and monitored while a child is
confined in a youth development center, whether such confinement is pursuant to
a court order or otherwise;
(2)
During the placement or any extension thereof:
(A)
After the expiration of the period provided in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1)
of this subsection, the child shall not be released from intensive supervision
without the written approval of the commissioner of juvenile justice or such
commissioner´s designated deputy;
(B)
While in a youth development center, the child may be permitted to participate
in all youth development center services and programs and shall be eligible to
receive special medical and treatment services, regardless of the time of
confinement in the youth development center. After the first six months of
confinement in a youth development center, a child may be eligible to
participate in youth development center sponsored programs including community
work programs and sheltered workshops under the general supervision of a youth
development center staff outside of the youth development center; and, in
cooperation and coordination with the Department of Human Resources, the child
may be allowed to participate in state sponsored programs for evaluation and
services under the Division of Rehabilitation Services of the Department of
Labor and the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and
Addictive Diseases of the Department of Human Resources;
(C)
The child shall not be discharged from the custody of the Department of Juvenile
Justice unless a motion therefor is granted by the court, which motion shall not
be made prior to the expiration of one year of custody; and
(D)
Unless otherwise specified in the order, the Department of Juvenile Justice
shall report in writing to the court not less than once every six months during
the placement on the status, adjustment, and progress of the child;
and
(3)
Upon the expiration of the initial period of placement in a youth development
center, or any extension thereof, the placement may be extended on motion by the
Department of Juvenile Justice, after a dispositional hearing, for an additional
period of 12 months, provided that no initial placement or extension of custody
under this Code section may continue beyond the individual´s twenty-first
birthday.
(f)
When the order is for restrictive custody in the case of a child found to have
committed any designated felony act and such child has been found by a court to
have committed a designated felony act on a prior occasion, regardless of the
age of the child at the time of commission of such prior act, the order of the
court shall be made pursuant to subparagraph (e)(1)(B) of this Code section.
(g)
The Department of Juvenile Justice shall retain the power to continue the
confinement of the child in a youth development center or other program beyond
the periods specified by the court within the term of the order.
(h)
Any court making a finding or adjudication that a child has committed a
designated felony act shall identify the school last attended by such child and
the school which such child intends to attend and shall transmit a copy of such
adjudication or finding to the principals of the school which the child last
attended and the school which the child intends to attend within 15 days of the
adjudication or finding. Such information shall be subject to notification,
distribution, and requirements as provided in Code Section 20-2-671.