GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1862

Short Title:  Juvenile Commitment Procedure.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representative Blue.
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Referred to:  Judiciary.
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May 9, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CLARIFY PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DISPOSITIONS COMMITTING JUVENILES TO THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 7A-651 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new subsection (e) to read:
"( e)	An order that commits a juvenile to the Division of Youth Services shall recite detailed findings, supporting commitment to the Division as the least restrictive alternative in light of the circumstances.  These findings shall state that all alternatives to commitment contained in G.S. 7A-647, 7A-648, 7A-649 have been attempted unsuccessfully or are inappropriate and that the juvenile's behavior constitutes a threat to persons or property in the community.  Such findings shall be supported by some evidence in the record of the dispositional hearing that the judge determined the needs of the juvenile, determined the appropriate community resources required to meet those needs, and explored and exhausted or deemed inappropriate those resources prior to committing the juvenile to the Division."
Sec. 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Institute of Government, $10,000 for the 1989-90 fiscal year to provide training support to the courts and community-based services to assure the least restrictive alternative appropriate to both the juveniles' needs and public safety.
Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.