§ 5-705 — Sentencing hearing; evidence; continuance

(1) In this subsection (1), "violent crime" has the same meaning ascribed to the term in subsection (c) of Section 3 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act. At the sentencing hearing, the court shall determine whether it is in the best interests of the minor or the public that the minor be made a ward of the court, and, if the minor is to be made a ward of the court, the court shall determine the proper disposition best serving the interests of the minor and the public. All evidence helpful in determining these questions, including oral and written reports, may be admitted and may be relied upon to the extent of its probative value, even though not competent for the purposes of the trial. A crime victim shall be allowed to present an oral or written statement, as guaranteed by Article I, Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution and as provided in Section 6 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, in any case in which: (a) a juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent for a violent crime after a bench or jury trial; or (b) the petition alleged the commission of a violent crime and the juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent under a plea agreement of a crime that is not a violent crime. The court shall allow a victim to make an oral statement if the victim is present in the courtroom and requests to make an oral statement. An oral statement includes the victim or a representative of the victim reading the written statement. The court may allow persons impacted by the crime who are not victims under subsection (a) of Section 3 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act to present an oral or written statement. A victim and any person making an oral statement shall not be put under oath or subject to cross-examination. A record of a prior continuance under supervision under Section 5-615, whether successfully completed or not, is admissible at the sentencing hearing. No order of commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be entered against a minor before a written report of social investigation, which has been completed within the previous 60 days, is presented to and considered by the court. (2) Once a party has been served in compliance with Section 5-525, no further service or notice must be given to that party prior to proceeding to a sentencing hearing. Before imposing sentence the court shall advise the State's Attorney and the parties who are present or their counsel of the factual contents and the conclusions of the reports prepared for the use of the court and considered by it, and afford fair opportunity, if requested, to controvert them. Factual contents, conclusions, documents and sources disclosed by the court under this paragraph shall not be further disclosed without the express approval of the court. (3) On its own motion or that of the State's Attorney, a parent, guardian, legal custodian, or counsel, the court may adjourn the hearing for a reasonable period to receive reports or other evidence and, in such event, shall make an appropriate order for detention of the minor or the minor's release from detention subject to supervision by the court during the period of the continuance. In the event the court shall order detention hereunder, the period of the continuance shall not exceed 30 court days. At the end of such time, the court shall release the minor from detention unless notice is served at least 3 days prior to the hearing on the continued date that the State will be seeking an extension of the period of detention, which notice shall state the reason for the request for the extension. The extension of detention may be for a maximum period of an additional 15 court days or a lesser number of days at the discretion of the court. However, at the expiration of the period of extension, the court shall release the minor from detention if a further continuance is granted. In scheduling investigations and hearings, the court shall give priority to proceedings in which a minor is in detention or has otherwise been removed from the minor's home before a sentencing order has been made. (4) When commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice is ordered, the court shall state the basis for selecting the particular disposition, and the court shall prepare such a statement for inclusion in the record. (5) Before a sentencing order is entered by the court under Section 5-710 for a minor adjudged delinquent for a violation of paragraph (3.5) of subsection (a) of Section 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012, in which the minor made a threat of violence, death, or bodily harm against a person, school, school function, or school event, the court may order a mental health evaluation of the minor by a physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner, whether employed by the State, by any public or private mental health facility or part of the facility, or by any public or private medical facility or part of the facility. A statement made by a minor during the course of a mental health evaluation conducted under this subsection (5) is not admissible on the issue of delinquency during the course of an adjudicatory hearing held under this Act. Neither the physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner, or the employer of the physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner, shall be held criminally, civilly, or professionally liable for performing a mental health examination under this subsection (5), except for willful or wanton misconduct. In this subsection (5), "qualified examiner" has the meaning provided in Section 1-122 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 103-22, eff. 8-8-23; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)