SB148 - Juvenile Justice System Reforms

• Expands early intervention programs and requires development of a statewide detention risk assessment tool to inform pre-adjudication detention decisions and establish standards for informal case adjustments.

• Modifies offense lists for juvenile court jurisdiction, transferability to adult court, and placement eligibility with the Department of Youth Services, with specific criteria based on offense severity.

• Removes fines, fees, and court costs assessments against children while preserving the ability to assess them against parents, and limits supervision duration based on offense classification (9-18 months).

• Creates the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Fund to redirect costs from reduced youth detention/placement into evidence-based community programs, and establishes a Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee to monitor implementation and data collection.

• Requires risk and needs assessments to inform supervision and treatment decisions, mandates multi-disciplinary school agreements for handling school-based offenses, and treats voluntary sexual activity between minors as a child in need of supervision rather than a delinquency offense.