985.01  Purposes and intent.--

(1)  The purposes of this chapter are:

(a)  To provide judicial and other procedures to assure due process through which children and other interested parties are assured fair hearings by a respectful and respected court or other tribunal and the recognition, protection, and enforcement of their constitutional and other legal rights, while ensuring that public safety interests and the authority and dignity of the courts are adequately protected.

(b)  To provide for the care, safety, and protection of children in an environment that fosters healthy social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development; to ensure secure and safe custody; and to promote the health and well-being of all children under the state's care.

(c)  To ensure the protection of society, by providing for a comprehensive standardized assessment of the child's needs so that the most appropriate control, discipline, punishment, and treatment can be administered consistent with the seriousness of the act committed, the community's long-term need for public safety, the prior record of the child, and the specific rehabilitation needs of the child, while also providing whenever possible restitution to the victim of the offense.

(d)  To preserve and strengthen the child's family ties whenever possible, by providing for removal of the child from parental custody only when his or her welfare or the safety and protection of the public cannot be adequately safeguarded without such removal; and, when the child is removed from his or her own family, to secure custody, care, and discipline for the child as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should have been given by the parents; and to assure, in all cases in which a child must be permanently removed from parental custody, that the child be placed in an approved family home, adoptive home, independent living program, or other placement that provides the most stable and permanent living arrangement for the child, as determined by the court.

(e)1.  To assure that the adjudication and disposition of a child alleged or found to have committed a violation of Florida law be exercised with appropriate discretion and in keeping with the seriousness of the offense and the need for treatment services, and that all findings made under this chapter be based upon facts presented at a hearing that meets the constitutional standards of fundamental fairness and due process.

2.  To assure that the sentencing and placement of a child tried as an adult be appropriate and in keeping with the seriousness of the offense and the child's need for rehabilitative services, and that the proceedings and procedures applicable to such sentencing and placement be applied within the full framework of constitutional standards of fundamental fairness and due process.

(f)  To provide children committed to the department with training in life skills, including career education.

(2)  It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter be liberally interpreted and construed in conformity with its declared purposes.

History.--s. 1, ch. 97-238; s. 12, ch. 2001-125; s. 64, ch. 2004-267; ss. 2, 87, ch. 2006-120.

985.02  Legislative intent for the juvenile justice system.--

(1)  GENERAL PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN.--It is a purpose of the Legislature that the children of this state be provided with the following protections:

(a)  Protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

(b)  A permanent and stable home.

(c)  A safe and nurturing environment which will preserve a sense of personal dignity and integrity.

(d)  Adequate nutrition, shelter, and clothing.

(e)  Effective treatment to address physical, social, and emotional needs, regardless of geographical location.

(f)  Equal opportunity and access to quality and effective education, which will meet the individual needs of each child, and to recreation and other community resources to develop individual abilities.

(g)  Access to preventive services.

(h)  An independent, trained advocate when intervention is necessary, and a skilled guardian or caretaker in a safe environment when alternative placement is necessary.

(i)  Gender-specific programming and gender-specific program models and services that comprehensively address the needs of a targeted gender group.

(2)  SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES.--The Legislature finds that children in the care of the state's dependency and delinquency systems need appropriate health care services, that the impact of substance abuse on health indicates the need for health care services to include substance abuse services where appropriate, and that it is in the state's best interest that such children be provided the services they need to enable them to become and remain independent of state care. In order to provide these services, the state's dependency and delinquency systems must have the ability to identify and provide appropriate intervention and treatment for children with personal or family-related substance abuse problems. It is therefore the purpose of the Legislature to provide authority for the state to contract with community substance abuse treatment providers for the development and operation of specialized support and overlay services for the dependency and delinquency systems, which will be fully implemented and utilized as resources permit.

(3)  JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION.--It is the policy of the state with respect to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention to first protect the public from acts of delinquency. In addition, it is the policy of the state to:

(a)  Develop and implement effective methods of preventing and reducing acts of delinquency, with a focus on maintaining and strengthening the family as a whole so that children may remain in their homes or communities.

(b)  Develop and implement effective programs to prevent delinquency, to divert children from the traditional juvenile justice system, to intervene at an early stage of delinquency, and to provide critically needed alternatives to institutionalization and deep-end commitment.

(c)  Provide well-trained personnel, high-quality services, and cost-effective programs within the juvenile justice system.

(d)  Increase the capacity of local governments and public and private agencies to conduct rehabilitative treatment programs and to provide research, evaluation, and training services in the field of juvenile delinquency prevention.

The Legislature intends that detention care, in addition to providing secure and safe custody, will promote the health and well-being of the children committed thereto and provide an environment that fosters their social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development.

(4)  DETENTION.--

(a)  The Legislature finds that there is a need for a secure placement for certain children alleged to have committed a delinquent act. The Legislature finds that detention should be used only when less restrictive interim placement alternatives prior to adjudication and disposition are not appropriate. The Legislature further finds that decisions to detain should be based in part on a prudent assessment of risk and be limited to situations where there is clear and convincing evidence that a child presents a risk of failing to appear or presents a substantial risk of inflicting bodily harm on others as evidenced by recent behavior; presents a history of committing a serious property offense prior to adjudication, disposition, or placement; has acted in direct or indirect contempt of court; or requests protection from imminent bodily harm.

(b)  The Legislature intends that a juvenile found to have committed a delinquent act understands the consequences and the serious nature of such behavior. Therefore, the Legislature finds that secure detention is appropriate to provide punishment that discourages further delinquent behavior. The Legislature also finds that certain juveniles have committed a sufficient number of criminal acts, including acts involving violence to persons, to represent sufficient danger to the community to warrant sentencing and placement within the adult system. It is the intent of the Legislature to establish clear criteria in order to identify these juveniles and remove them from the juvenile justice system.

(5)  SERIOUS OR HABITUAL JUVENILE OFFENDERS.--The Legislature finds that fighting crime effectively requires a multipronged effort focusing on particular classes of delinquent children and the development of particular programs. This state's juvenile justice system has an inadequate number of beds for serious or habitual juvenile offenders and an inadequate number of community and residential programs for a significant number of children whose delinquent behavior is due to or connected with illicit substance abuse. In addition, a significant number of children have been adjudicated in adult criminal court and placed in this state's prisons where programs are inadequate to meet their rehabilitative needs and where space is needed for adult offenders. Recidivism rates for each of these classes of offenders exceed those tolerated by the Legislature and by the citizens of this state.

(6)  SITING OF FACILITIES.--

(a)  The Legislature finds that timely siting and development of needed residential facilities for juvenile offenders is critical to the public safety of the citizens of this state and to the effective rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.

(b)  It is the purpose of the Legislature to guarantee that such facilities are sited and developed within reasonable timeframes after they are legislatively authorized and appropriated.

(c)  The Legislature further finds that such facilities must be located in areas of the state close to the home communities of the children they house in order to ensure the most effective rehabilitation efforts and the most intensive postrelease supervision and case management.

(d)  It is the intent of the Legislature that all other departments and agencies of the state shall cooperate fully with the Department of Juvenile Justice to accomplish the siting of facilities for juvenile offenders.

The supervision, counseling, rehabilitative treatment, and punitive efforts of the juvenile justice system should avoid the inappropriate use of correctional programs and large institutions. The Legislature finds that detention services should exceed the primary goal of providing safe and secure custody pending adjudication and disposition.

(7)  PARENTAL, CUSTODIAL, AND GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITIES.--Parents, custodians, and guardians are deemed by the state to be responsible for providing their children with sufficient support, guidance, and supervision to deter their participation in delinquent acts. The state further recognizes that the ability of parents, custodians, and guardians to fulfill those responsibilities can be greatly impaired by economic, social, behavioral, emotional, and related problems. It is therefore the policy of the Legislature that it is the state's responsibility to ensure that factors impeding the ability of caretakers to fulfill their responsibilities are identified through the delinquency intake process and that appropriate recommendations to address those problems are considered in any judicial or nonjudicial proceeding. Nonetheless, as it is also the intent of the Legislature to preserve and strengthen the child's family ties, it is the policy of the Legislature that the emotional, legal, and financial responsibilities of the caretaker with regard to the care, custody, and support of the child continue while the child is in the physical or legal custody of the department.

(8)  GENDER-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING.--

(a)  The Legislature finds that the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation needs of youth served by the juvenile justice system are gender-specific.

(b)  Gender-specific programming refers to unique program models and services that comprehensively address the needs of a targeted gender group. Gender-specific services require the adherence to the principle of equity to ensure that the different interests of young women and men are recognized and varying needs are met, with equality as the desired outcome. Gender-specific programming focuses on the differences between young females' and young males' roles and responsibilities, positions in society, access to and use of resources, and social codes governing behavior. Gender-specific programs increase the effectiveness of programs by making interventions more appropriate to the specific needs of young women and men and ensuring that these programs do not unknowingly create, maintain, or reinforce gender roles or relations that may be damaging.

(c)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall conduct an analysis of programs for young females within the Department of Juvenile Justice. The analysis shall address the nature of young female offenders in this state, the percentage of young females who are incarcerated in the juvenile justice system for status offenses and violations of probation, and whether these young females could be better served in less costly community-based programs. In addition, the review shall analyze whether existing juvenile justice programs are designed to meet the gender-specific needs of young females and an analysis of the true cost of providing gender-specific services to young females.

History.--s. 2, ch. 97-238; s. 13, ch. 2001-125; s. 1, ch. 2004-333; s. 3, ch. 2006-120.

985.03  Definitions.--As used in this chapter, the term:

(1)  "Addictions receiving facility" means a substance abuse service provider as defined in chapter 397.

(2)  "Adjudicatory hearing" means a hearing for the court to determine whether or not the facts support the allegations stated in the petition, as is provided for under s. 985.35 in delinquency cases.

(3)  "Adult" means any natural person other than a child.

(4)  "Arbitration" means a process whereby a neutral third person or panel, called an arbitrator or an arbitration panel, considers the facts and arguments presented by the parties and renders a decision which may be binding or nonbinding.

(5)  "Authorized agent" or "designee" of the department means a person or agency assigned or designated by the department or the Department of Children and Family Services, as appropriate, to perform duties or exercise powers under this chapter and includes contract providers and their employees for purposes of providing services to and managing cases of children in need of services and families in need of services.

(6)  "Child" or "juvenile" or "youth" means any unmarried person under the age of 18 who has not been emancipated by order of the court and who has been found or alleged to be dependent, in need of services, or from a family in need of services; or any married or unmarried person who is charged with a violation of law occurring prior to the time that person reached the age of 18 years.

(7)  "Child in need of services" means a child for whom there is no pending investigation into an allegation or suspicion of abuse, neglect, or abandonment; no pending referral alleging the child is delinquent; or no current supervision by the department or the Department of Children and Family Services for an adjudication of dependency or delinquency. The child must also, under this chapter, be found by the court:

(a)  To have persistently run away from the child's parents or legal custodians despite reasonable efforts of the child, the parents or legal custodians, and appropriate agencies to remedy the conditions contributing to the behavior. Reasonable efforts shall include voluntary participation by the child's parents or legal custodians and the child in family mediation, services, and treatment offered by the department or the Department of Children and Family Services;

(b)  To be habitually truant from school, while subject to compulsory school attendance, despite reasonable efforts to remedy the situation under ss. 1003.26 and 1003.27 and through voluntary participation by the child's parents or legal custodians and by the child in family mediation, services, and treatment offered by the Department of Juvenile Justice or the Department of Children and Family Services; or

(c)  To have persistently disobeyed the reasonable and lawful demands of the child's parents or legal custodians, and to be beyond their control despite efforts by the child's parents or legal custodians and appropriate agencies to remedy the conditions contributing to the behavior. Reasonable efforts may include such things as good faith participation in family or individual counseling.

(8)  "Child who has been found to have committed a delinquent act" means a child who, under this chapter, is found by a court to have committed a violation of law or to be in direct or indirect contempt of court, except that this definition does not include an act constituting contempt of court arising out of a dependency proceeding or a proceeding concerning a child or family in need of services.

(9)  "Child support" means a court-ordered obligation, enforced under chapter 61 and ss. 409.2551-409.2597, for monetary support for the care, maintenance, training, and education of a child.

(10)  "Circuit" means any of the 20 judicial circuits as set forth in s. 26.021.

(11)  "Comprehensive assessment" or "assessment" means the gathering of information for the evaluation of a juvenile offender's or a child's physical, psychological, educational, vocational, and social condition and family environment as they relate to the child's need for rehabilitative and treatment services, including substance abuse treatment services, mental health services, developmental services, literacy services, medical services, family services, and other specialized services, as appropriate.

(12)  "Conditional release" means the care, treatment, help, and supervision provided to a juvenile released from a residential commitment program which is intended to promote rehabilitation and prevent recidivism. The purpose of conditional release is to protect the public, reduce recidivism, increase responsible productive behavior, and provide for a successful transition of the youth from the department to the family. Conditional release includes, but is not limited to, nonresidential community-based programs.

(13)  "Court," unless otherwise expressly stated, means the circuit court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter.

(14)  "Day treatment" means a nonresidential, community-based program designed to provide therapeutic intervention to youth who are placed on probation or conditional release or are committed to the minimum-risk nonresidential level. A day treatment program may provide educational and vocational services and shall provide case management services; individual, group, and family counseling; training designed to address delinquency risk factors; and monitoring of a youth's compliance with, and facilitation of a youth's completion of, sanctions if ordered by the court. Program types may include, but are not limited to, career programs, marine programs, juvenile justice alternative schools, training and rehabilitation programs, and gender-specific programs.

(15)(a)  "Delinquency program" means any intake, probation, or similar program; regional detention center or facility; or community-based program, whether owned and operated by or contracted by the department, or institution owned and operated by or contracted by the department, which provides intake, supervision, or custody and care of children who are alleged to be or who have been found to be delinquent under this chapter.

(b)  "Delinquency program staff" means supervisory and direct care staff of a delinquency program as well as support staff who have direct contact with children in a delinquency program.

(c)  "Delinquency prevention programs" means programs designed for the purpose of reducing the occurrence of delinquency, including youth and street gang activity, and juvenile arrests. The term excludes arbitration, diversionary or mediation programs, and community service work or other treatment available subsequent to a child committing a delinquent act.

(16)  "Department" means the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(17)  "Designated facility" or "designated treatment facility" means any facility designated by the department to provide treatment to juvenile offenders.

(18)  "Detention care" means the temporary care of a child in secure, nonsecure, or home detention, pending a court adjudication or disposition or execution of a court order. There are three types of detention care, as follows:

(a)  "Secure detention" means temporary custody of the child while the child is under the physical restriction of a detention center or facility pending adjudication, disposition, or placement.

(b)  "Nonsecure detention" means temporary custody of the child while the child is in a residential home in the community in a physically nonrestrictive environment under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice pending adjudication, disposition, or placement.

(c)  "Home detention" means temporary custody of the child while the child is released to the custody of the parent, guardian, or custodian in a physically nonrestrictive environment under the supervision of the department staff pending adjudication, disposition, or placement.

(19)  "Detention center or facility" means a facility used pending court adjudication or disposition or execution of court order for the temporary care of a child alleged or found to have committed a violation of law. A detention center or facility may provide secure or nonsecure custody. A facility used for the commitment of adjudicated delinquents shall not be considered a detention center or facility.

(20)  "Detention hearing" means a hearing for the court to determine if a child should be placed in temporary custody, as provided for under part V in delinquency cases.

(21)  "Disposition hearing" means a hearing in which the court determines the most appropriate dispositional services in the least restrictive available setting provided for under part VII, in delinquency cases.

(22)  "Family" means a collective of persons, consisting of a child and a parent, guardian, adult custodian, or adult relative, in which:

(a)  The persons reside in the same house or living unit; or

(b)  The parent, guardian, adult custodian, or adult relative has a legal responsibility by blood, marriage, or court order to support or care for the child.

(23)  "Family in need of services" means a family that has a child for whom there is no pending investigation into an allegation of abuse, neglect, or abandonment or no current supervision by the department or the Department of Children and Family Services for an adjudication of dependency or delinquency. The child must also have been referred to a law enforcement agency or the department for:

(a)  Running away from parents or legal custodians;

(b)  Persistently disobeying reasonable and lawful demands of parents or legal custodians, and being beyond their control; or

(c)  Habitual truancy from school.

(24)  "Foster care" means care provided a child in a foster family or boarding home, group home, agency boarding home, child care institution, or any combination thereof.

(25)  "Habitually truant" means that:

(a)  The child has 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days with or without the knowledge or justifiable consent of the child's parent or legal guardian, is subject to compulsory school attendance under s. 1003.21(1) and (2)(a), and is not exempt under s. 1003.21(3), s. 1003.24, or any other exemptions specified by law or the rules of the State Board of Education.

(b)  Escalating activities to determine the cause, and to attempt the remediation, of the child's truant behavior under ss. 1003.26 and 1003.27 have been completed.


If a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance is responsive to the interventions described in ss. 1003.26 and 1003.27 and has completed the necessary requirements to pass the current grade as indicated in the district pupil progression plan, the child shall not be determined to be habitually truant and shall be passed. If a child within the compulsory school attendance age has 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days or fails to enroll in school, the state attorney may file a child-in-need-of-services petition. Before filing a petition, the child must be referred to the appropriate agency for evaluation. After consulting with the evaluating agency, the state attorney may elect to file a child-in-need-of-services petition.

(c)  A school representative, designated according to school board policy, and a juvenile probation officer of the department have jointly investigated the truancy problem or, if that was not feasible, have performed separate investigations to identify conditions that could be contributing to the truant behavior; and if, after a joint staffing of the case to determine the necessity for services, such services were determined to be needed, the persons who performed the investigations met jointly with the family and child to discuss any referral to appropriate community agencies for economic services, family or individual counseling, or other services required to remedy the conditions that are contributing to the truant behavior.

(d)  The failure or refusal of the parent or legal guardian or the child to participate, or make a good faith effort to participate, in the activities prescribed to remedy the truant behavior, or the failure or refusal of the child to return to school after participation in activities required by this subsection, or the failure of the child to stop the truant behavior after the school administration and the department have worked with the child as described in s. 1003.27(3) shall be handled as prescribed in s. 1003.27.

(26)  "Halfway house" means a community-based residential program for 10 or more committed delinquents at the moderate-risk commitment level which is operated or contracted by the department.

(27)  "Intake" means the initial acceptance and screening by the department of a complaint or a law enforcement report or probable cause affidavit of delinquency, family in need of services, or child in need of services to determine the recommendation to be taken in the best interests of the child, the family, and the community. The emphasis of intake is on diversion and the least restrictive available services. Consequently, intake includes such alternatives as:

(a)  The disposition of the complaint, report, or probable cause affidavit without court or public agency action or judicial handling when appropriate.

(b)  The referral of the child to another public or private agency when appropriate.

(c)  The recommendation by the juvenile probation officer of judicial handling when appropriate and warranted.

(28)  "Judge" means the circuit judge exercising jurisdiction pursuant to this chapter.

(29)  "Juvenile justice continuum" includes, but is not limited to, delinquency prevention programs and services designed for the purpose of preventing or reducing delinquent acts, including criminal activity by youth gangs, and juvenile arrests, as well as programs and services targeted at children who have committed delinquent acts, and children who have previously been committed to residential treatment programs for delinquents. The term includes children-in-need-of-services and families-in-need-of-services programs; conditional release; substance abuse and mental health programs; educational and career programs; recreational programs; community services programs; community service work programs; and alternative dispute resolution programs serving children at risk of delinquency and their families, whether offered or delivered by state or local governmental entities, public or private for-profit or not-for-profit organizations, or religious or charitable organizations.

(30)  "Juvenile probation officer" means the authorized agent of the department who performs the intake, case management, or supervision functions.

(31)  "Legal custody or guardian" means a legal status created by court order or letter of guardianship which vests in a custodian of the person or guardian, whether an agency or an individual, the right to have physical custody of the child and the right and duty to protect, train, and discipline the child and to provide him or her with food, shelter, education, and ordinary medical, dental, psychiatric, and psychological care.

(32)  "Licensed child-caring agency" means a person, society, association, or agency licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services to care for, receive, and board children.

(33)  "Licensed health care professional" means a physician licensed under chapter 458, an osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 459, a nurse licensed under part I of chapter 464, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459, or a dentist licensed under chapter 466.

(34)  "Likely to injure oneself" means that, as evidenced by violent or other actively self-destructive behavior, it is more likely than not that within a 24-hour period the child will attempt to commit suicide or inflict serious bodily harm on himself or herself.

(35)  "Likely to injure others" means that it is more likely than not that within a 24-hour period the child will inflict serious and unjustified bodily harm on another person.

(36)  "Mediation" means a process whereby a neutral third person called a mediator acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of a dispute between two or more parties. It is an informal and nonadversarial process with the objective of helping the disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable and voluntary agreement. In mediation, decisionmaking authority rests with the parties. The role of the mediator includes, but is not limited to, assisting the parties in identifying issues, fostering joint problem solving, and exploring settlement alternatives.

(37)  "Necessary medical treatment" means care which is necessary within a reasonable degree of medical certainty to prevent the deterioration of a child's condition or to alleviate immediate pain of a child.

(38)  "Next of kin" means an adult relative of a child who is the child's brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or first cousin.

(39)  "Parent" means a woman who gives birth to a child and a man whose consent to the adoption of the child would be required under s. 63.062(1). If a child has been legally adopted, the term "parent" means the adoptive mother or father of the child. The term does not include an individual whose parental relationship to the child has been legally terminated, or an alleged or prospective parent, unless the parental status falls within the terms of either s. 39.503(1) or s. 63.062(1).

(40)  "Preliminary screening" means the gathering of preliminary information to be used in determining a child's need for further evaluation or assessment or for referral for other substance abuse services through means such as psychosocial interviews; urine and breathalyzer screenings; and reviews of available educational, delinquency, and dependency records of the child.

(41)  "Preventive services" means social services and other supportive and rehabilitative services provided to the parent of the child, the legal guardian of the child, or the custodian of the child and to the child for the purpose of averting the removal of the child from the home or disruption of a family which will or could result in the placement of a child in foster care. Social services and other supportive and rehabilitative services shall promote the child's need for a safe, continuous, stable living environment and shall promote family autonomy and shall strengthen family life as the first priority whenever possible.

(42)  "Probation" means the legal status of probation created by law and court order in cases involving a child who has been found to have committed a delinquent act. Probation is an individualized program in which the freedom of the child is limited and the child is restricted to noninstitutional quarters or restricted to the child's home in lieu of commitment to the custody of the department. Youth on probation may be assessed and classified for placement in day-treatment probation programs designed for youth who represent a minimum risk to themselves and public safety and do not require placement and services in a residential setting.

(43)  "Relative" means a grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, first cousin, aunt, uncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, niece, or nephew, whether related by the whole or half blood, by affinity, or by adoption. The term does not include a stepparent.

(44)  "Restrictiveness level" means the level of programming and security provided by programs that service the supervision, custody, care, and treatment needs of committed children. Sections 985.601(10) and 985.721 apply to children placed in programs at any residential commitment level. The restrictiveness levels of commitment are as follows:

(a)  Minimum-risk nonresidential.--Programs or program models at this commitment level work with youth who remain in the community and participate at least 5 days per week in a day treatment program. Youth assessed and classified for programs at this commitment level represent a minimum risk to themselves and public safety and do not require placement and services in residential settings. Youth in this level have full access to, and reside in, the community. Youth who have been found to have committed delinquent acts that involve firearms, that are sexual offenses, or that would be life felonies or first degree felonies if committed by an adult may not be committed to a program at this level.

(b)  Low-risk residential.--Programs or program models at this commitment level are residential but may allow youth to have unsupervised access to the community. Youth assessed and classified for placement in programs at this commitment level represent a low risk to themselves and public safety but do require placement and services in residential settings. Children who have been found to have committed delinquent acts that involve firearms, delinquent acts that are sexual offenses, or delinquent acts that would be life felonies or first degree felonies if committed by an adult shall not be committed to a program at this level.

(c)  Moderate-risk residential.--Programs or program models at this commitment level are residential but may allow youth to have supervised access to the community. Facilities are either environmentally secure, staff secure, or are hardware-secure with walls, fencing, or locking doors. Facilities shall provide 24-hour awake supervision, custody, care, and treatment of residents. Youth assessed and classified for placement in programs at this commitment level represent a moderate risk to public safety and require close supervision. The staff at a facility at this commitment level may seclude a child who is a physical threat to himself or herself or others. Mechanical restraint may also be used when necessary.

(d)  High-risk residential.--Programs or program models at this commitment level are residential and do not allow youth to have access to the community, except that temporary release providing community access for up to 72 continuous hours may be approved by a court for a youth who has made successful progress in his or her program in order for the youth to attend a family emergency or, during the final 60 days of his or her placement, to visit his or her home, enroll in school or a vocational program, complete a job interview, or participate in a community service project. High-risk residential facilities are hardware-secure with perimeter fencing and locking doors. Facilities shall provide 24-hour awake supervision, custody, care, and treatment of residents. Youth assessed and classified for this level of placement require close supervision in a structured residential setting. Placement in programs at this level is prompted by a concern for public safety that outweighs placement in programs at lower commitment levels. The staff at a facility at this commitment level may seclude a child who is a physical threat to himself or herself or others. Mechanical restraint may also be used when necessary. The facility may provide for single cell occupancy.

(e)  Maximum-risk residential.--Programs or program models at this commitment level include juvenile correctional facilities and juvenile prisons. The programs are long-term residential and do not allow youth to have access to the community. Facilities are maximum-custody hardware-secure with perimeter security fencing and locking doors. Facilities shall provide 24-hour awake supervision, custody, care, and treatment of residents. The staff at a facility at this commitment level may seclude a child who is a physical threat to himself or herself or others. Mechanical restraint may also be used when necessary. The facility shall provide for single cell occupancy, except that youth may be housed together during prerelease transition. Youth assessed and classified for this level of placement require close supervision in a maximum security residential setting. Placement in a program at this level is prompted by a demonstrated need to protect the public.

(45)  "Respite" means a placement that is available for the care, custody, and placement of a youth charged with domestic violence as an alternative to secure detention or for placement of a youth when a shelter bed for a child in need of services or a family in need of services is unavailable.

(46)  "Secure detention center or facility" means a physically restricting facility for the temporary care of children, pending adjudication, disposition, or placement.

(47)  "Serious or habitual juvenile offender program" means the program established in s. 985.47.

(48)  "Shelter" means a place for the temporary care of a child who is alleged to be or who has been found to be delinquent.

(49)  "Shelter hearing" means a hearing provided for under s. 984.14 in family-in-need-of-services cases or child-in-need-of-services cases.

(50)  "Staff-secure shelter" means a facility in which a child is supervised 24 hours a day by staff members who are awake while on duty. The facility is for the temporary care and assessment of a child who has been found to be dependent, who has violated a court order and been found in contempt of court, or whom the Department of Children and Family Services is unable to properly assess or place for assistance within the continuum of services provided for dependent children.

(51)  "Substance abuse" means using, without medical reason, any psychoactive or mood-altering drug, including alcohol, in such a manner as to induce impairment resulting in dysfunctional social behavior.

(52)  "Taken into custody" means the status of a child immediately when temporary physical control over the child is attained by a person authorized by law, pending the child's release, detention, placement, or other disposition as authorized by law.

(53)  "Temporary legal custody" means the relationship that a juvenile court creates between a child and an adult relative of the child, adult nonrelative approved by the court, or other person until a more permanent arrangement is ordered. Temporary legal custody confers upon the custodian the right to have temporary physical custody of the child and the right and duty to protect, train, and discipline the child and to provide the child with food, shelter, and education, and ordinary medical, dental, psychiatric, and psychological care, unless these rights and duties are otherwise enlarged or limited by the court order establishing the temporary legal custody relationship.

(54)  "Temporary release" means the terms and conditions under which a child is temporarily released from a residential commitment facility or allowed home visits. If the temporary release is from a moderate-risk residential facility, a high-risk residential facility, or a maximum-risk residential facility, the terms and conditions of the temporary release must be approved by the child, the court, and the facility. The term includes periods during which the child is supervised pursuant to a conditional release program or a period during which the child is supervised by a juvenile probation officer or other nonresidential staff of the department or staff employed by an entity under contract with the department.

(55)  "Training school" means one of the following facilities: the Arthur G. Dozier School or the Eckerd Youth Development Center.

(56)  "Violation of law" or "delinquent act" means a violation of any law of this state, the United States, or any other state which is a misdemeanor or a felony or a violation of a county or municipal ordinance which would be punishable by incarceration if the violation were committed by an adult.

(57)  "Waiver hearing" means a hearing provided for under s. 985.556(4).

History.--s. 4, ch. 97-234; s. 3, ch. 97-238; s. 1, ch. 97-276; s. 13, ch. 98-49; s. 7, ch. 98-207; s. 78, ch. 98-280; s. 169, ch. 98-403; s. 58, ch. 99-7; s. 14, ch. 99-201; s. 9, ch. 99-284; s. 18, ch. 2000-135; s. 150, ch. 2000-318; s. 35, ch. 2001-3; s. 14, ch. 2001-125; s. 119, ch. 2002-1; s. 1050, ch. 2002-387; s. 67, ch. 2004-357; s. 1, ch. 2005-263; ss. 4, 56, 57, 59, ch. 2006-120.