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Minnesota Governor's Task Force on Juvenile Justice - Final Report

NCJ Number
81819
Date Published
1981
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This report discusses problems and recommends reforms in Minnesota's juvenile justice system. The recommendations are limited to juveniles who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system because of offenses which would be crimes if committed by adults. They are outlined in the areas of apprehension, prosecution, and diversion; detention; court policy and procedures; and disposition.
Abstract
The report recommends that probable cause for apprehension and charging should be the same for juveniles as for adults, that juveniles should be able to waive their rights during police investigations, that police should be allowed to photograph and fingerprint juveniles aged 14 or over who have been arrested for a felony offense, and that police diversion rules should be uniform among counties. Only juveniles who are dangerous to others should be placed in secure detention, and any juvenile in an out-of-home placement (including detention) should have the right to an adjudication hearing within 30 days of a demand. Juvenile court procedures should be uniform throughout the State, jury trials should be available to juveniles charged with adult offenses, delinquency hearings for juveniles under age 14 yeasrs should be closed unless a judge orders otherwise, and the facts of a case during an open hearing should be available to the public. Guidelines for dispositions should be based on a concept of proportionality, treatment decisions should be completed after and be separate from the sanction decision, and the legislature should consider financial incentives for keeping juveniles in their home communities. Other steps the legislature can take to change the current system are mentioned. A glossary, a demographic profile of Minnesota's juvenile population, 27 references, a list of task force members, and other material are appended. Chapter references are included.