§ 19-2.5-107 — Parental accountability - legislative intent

Colorado § 19-2.5-107

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 19: Children's
• Art.: The Colorado Juvenile Justice System

Text

(1) (a) The parent,
guardian, or legal custodian of any juvenile subject to proceedings pursuant to this
article 2.5 is required to attend all proceedings that may be brought pursuant to
this article 2.5 concerning the juvenile. The court may impose contempt sanctions
against the parent, guardian, or legal custodian for failure, without good cause, to
attend any proceeding concerning the juvenile; except that, if the juvenile's legal
custodian is a county department of human or social services or the state
department of human services, the legal custodian need not attend any proceeding
at which the juvenile's guardian ad litem is present.

(b) For any juvenile adjudicated pursuant to this article 2.5, the court may
specify its expectations for the juvenile's parent, guardian, or legal custodian, so
long as the parent, guardian, or legal custodian is a party to the delinquency
proceedings.

(2) (a) The general assembly determines that families play a significant role
in the cause and cure of delinquent behavior of children. It is therefore the intent of
the general assembly that parents cooperate and participate significantly in the
assessment and treatment planning for their children.

(b) Any treatment plan developed pursuant to this article 2.5 may include
requirements to be imposed on the juvenile's parent, so long as the parent is a party
to the delinquency proceedings. These requirements may include, but are not
limited to, the following:

(I) Maximum parent involvement in the sentencing orders;

(II) Participation by the parent in parental responsibility training;

(III) Cooperation by the parent in treatment plans for the juvenile;

(IV) Performance of public service by the parent;

(V) Cost of care reimbursement by the parent;

(VI) Supervision of the juvenile; and

(VII) Any other provisions the court deems to be in the best interests of the
juvenile, the parent's other children, or the community.

(c) Any parent who is a party to the delinquency proceedings and who fails to
comply with any requirements imposed on the parent in a treatment plan may be
subject to contempt sanctions.

(d) The court has discretion to exempt the parent from participation in the
juvenile's treatment.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added with relocations, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 566, � 2, effective October 1.