§ 260B.176 — RELEASE OR DETENTION

Minnesota § 260B.176

• Jurisdiction: Minnesota
• Part: PUBLIC WELFARE AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
• Ch. 260B: DELINQUENCY

Text

Subdivision 1.Notification; release.
If a child is taken into custody as provided in section260B.175, the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child shall be notified as soon as possible. Unless there is reason to believe that the child would endanger self or others, not return for a court hearing, run away from the child's parent, guardian, or custodian or otherwise not remain in the care or control of the person to whose lawful custody the child is released, or that the child's health or welfare would be immediately endangered, the child shall be released to the custody of a parent, guardian, custodian, or other suitable person. The person to whom the child is released shall promise to bring the child to the court, if necessary, at the time the court may direct. If the person taking the child into custody believes it desirable, that person may request the parent, guardian, custodian, or other person designated by the court to sign a written promise to bring the child to court as provided above. The intentional violation of such a promise, whether given orally or in writing, shall be punishable as contempt of court.
The court may require the parent, guardian, custodian, or other person to whom the child is released, to post any reasonable bail or bond required by the court which shall be forfeited to the court if the child does not appear as directed. The court may also release the child on the child's own promise to appear in juvenile court.

Subd. 1a.Risk-assessment instrument.
(a) If a peace officer, probation officer, or parole officer who takes a child into custody does not release the child according to subdivision 1, the officer must communicate with or deliver the child to a juvenile secure detention facility to determine whether the child should be released or detained.
(b) To determine whether a child should be released or detained, a facility's supervisor must use an objective and racially, ethnically, and gender-responsive juvenile detention risk-assessment instrument developed by the commissioner of corrections, county, group of counties, or judicial district, in consultation with the state coordinator or coordinators of the Minnesota Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative.
(c) The risk-assessment instrument must:
(1) assess the likelihood that a child released from preadjudication detention under this section or section260B.178would endanger others or not return for a court hearing;
(2) identify the appropriate setting for a child who might endanger others or not return for a court hearing pending adjudication, with either continued detention or placement in a noncustodial community-based supervision setting; and
(3) identify the type of noncustodial community-based supervision setting necessary to minimize the risk that a child who is released from custody will endanger others or not return for a court hearing.
(d) If, after using the instrument, a determination is made that the child should be released, the person taking the child into custody or the facility supervisor must release the child according to subdivision 1.

Subd. 2.Reasons for detention.
(a) If the child is not released as provided in subdivision 1, the person taking the child into custody shall notify the court as soon as possible of the detention of the child and the reasons for detention.
(b) No child may be detained in a juvenile secure detention facility or shelter care facility longer than 36 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after being taken into custody for a delinquent act as defined in section260B.007, subdivision 6, unless a petition has been filed and the judge or referee determines pursuant to section260B.178that the child shall remain in detention.
(c) No child may be detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup longer than 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, or longer than six hours in an adult jail or municipal lockup in a standard metropolitan statistical area, after being taken into custody for a delinquent act as defined in section260B.007, subdivision 6, unless:
(1) a petition has been filed under section260B.141; and
(2) a judge or referee has determined under section260B.178that the child shall remain in detention.
After August 1, 1991, no child described in this paragraph may be detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup longer than 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, or longer than six hours in an adult jail or municipal lockup in a standard metropolitan statistical area, unless the requirements of this paragraph have been met and, in addition, a motion to refer the child for adult prosecution has been made under section260B.125. Notwithstanding this paragraph, continued detention of a child in an adult detention facility outside of a standard metropolitan statistical area county is permissible if:
(i) the facility in which the child is detained is located where conditions of distance to be traveled or other ground transportation do not allow for court appearances within 24 hours. A delay not to exceed 48 hours may be made under this clause; or
(ii) the facility is located where conditions of safety exist. Time for an appearance may be delayed until 24 hours after the time that conditions allow for reasonably safe travel. "Conditions of safety" include adverse life-threatening weather conditions that do not allow for reasonably safe travel.
The continued detention of a child under clause (i) or (ii) must be reported to the commissioner of corrections.
(d) If a child described in paragraph (c) is to be detained in a jail beyond 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the judge or referee, in accordance with rules and procedures established by the commissioner of corrections, shall notify the commissioner of the place of the detention and the reasons therefor. The commissioner shall thereupon assist the court in the relocation of the child in an appropriate juvenile secure detention facility or approved jail within the county or elsewhere in the state, or in determining suitable alternatives. The commissioner shall direct that a child detained in a jail be detained after eight days from and including the date of the original detention order in an approved juvenile secure detention facility with the approval of the administrative authority of the facility. If the court refers the matter to the prosecuting authority pursuant to section260B.125, notice to the commissioner shall not be required.
(e) When a child is detained for an alleged delinquent act in a state licensed juvenile facility or program, or when a child is detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup as provided in paragraph (c), the supervisor of the facility shall, if the child's parent or legal guardian consents, have a children's mental health screening conducted with a screening instrument approved by the commissioner of human services, unless a screening has been performed within the previous 180 days or the child is currently under the care of a mental health professional. The screening shall be conducted by a mental health practitioner as defined in section245.4871, subdivision 26, or a probation officer who is trained in the use of the screening instrument. The screening shall be conducted after the initial detention hearing has been held and the court has ordered the child continued in detention. The results of the screening may only be presented to the court at the dispositional phase of the court proceedings on the matter unless the parent or legal guardian consents to presentation at a different time. If the screening indicates a need for assessment, the local social services agency or probation officer, with the approval of the child's parent or legal guardian, shall have a diagnostic assessment conducted, including a functional assessment, as defined in section245.4871.

Subd. 3.Shelter care facility; secure detention facility.
If the person who has taken the child into custody determines that the child should be placed in a secure detention facility or a shelter care facility, that person shall advise the child and as soon as is possible, the child's parent, guardian, or custodian:
(a) of the reasons why the child has been taken into custody and why the child is being placed in a juvenile secure detention facility or a shelter care facility; and
(b) of the location of the juvenile secure detention facility or shelter care facility. If there is reason to believe that disclosure of the location of the shelter care facility would place the child's health and welfare in immediate endangerment, disclosure of the location of the shelter care facility shall not be made; and
(c) that the child's parent, guardian, or custodian and attorney or guardian ad litem may make an initial visit to the secure detention facility or shelter care facility at any time. Subsequent visits by a parent, guardian, or custodian may be made on a reasonable basis during visiting hours and by the child's attorney or guardian ad litem at reasonable hours; and
(d) that the child may telephone parents and an attorney or guardian ad litem from the juvenile secure detention facility or shelter care facility immediately after being admitted to the facility and thereafter on a reasonable basis to be determined by the director of the facility; and
(e) that the child may not be detained for acts as defined in section260B.007, subdivision 6, at a juvenile secure detention facility or shelter care facility longer than 36 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, unless a petition has been filed within that time and the court orders the child's continued detention, pursuant to section260B.178; and
(f) that the child may not be detained for acts defined in section260B.007, subdivision 6, at an adult jail or municipal lockup longer than 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, or longer than six hours if the adult jail or municipal lockup is in a standard metropolitan statistical area, unless a petition has been filed and the court orders the child's continued detention under section260B.178; and
(g) of the date, time, and place of the detention hearing, if this information is available to the person who has taken the child into custody; and
(h) that the child and the child's parent, guardian, or custodian have the right to be present and to be represented by counsel at the detention hearing, and that if they cannot afford counsel, counsel will be appointed at public expense for the child, if it is a delinquency matter.
After August 1, 1991, the child's parent, guardian, or custodian shall also be informed under clause (f) that the child may not be detained in an adult jail or municipal lockup longer than 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, or longer than six hours if the adult jail or municipal lockup is in a standard metropolitan statistical area, unless a motion to refer the child for adult prosecution has been made within that time period.

Subd. 4.Transportation.
If a child is to be detained in a secure detention facility or shelter care facility, the child shall be promptly transported to the facility in a manner approved by the facility or by securing a written transportation order from the court authorizing transportation by the sheriff or other qualified person. The person who has determined that the child should be detained shall deliver to the court and the supervisor of the secure detention facility or shelter care facility where the child is placed, a signed report, setting forth:
(a) the time the child was taken into custody; and
(b) the time the child was delivered for transportation to the secure detention facility or shelter care facility; and
(c) the reasons why the child was taken into custody; and
(d) the reasons why the child has been placed in detention; and
(e) a statement that the child and the child's parent have received the notification required by subdivision 3 or the reasons why they have not been so notified; and
(f) any instructions required by subdivision 5.

Subd. 5.Shelter care; notice to parent.
When a child is to be placed in a shelter care facility the person taking the child into custody or the court shall determine whether or not there is reason to believe that disclosure of the shelter care facility's location to the child's parent, guardian, or custodian would immediately endanger the health and welfare of the child. If there is reason to believe that the child's health and welfare would be immediately endangered, disclosure of the location shall not be made. This determination shall be included in the report required by subdivision 4, along with instructions to the shelter care facility to notify or withhold notification.

Subd. 6.Report.
(a) When a child has been delivered to a secure detention facility, the supervisor of the facility shall deliver to the court a signed report acknowledging receipt of the child stating the time of the child's arrival. The supervisor of the facility shall ascertain from the report of the person who has taken the child into custody whether the child and a parent, guardian, or custodian have received the notification required by subdivision 3. If the child or a parent, guardian or custodian, or both, have not been so notified, the supervisor of the facility shall immediately make the notification, and shall include in the report to the court a statement that notification has been received or the reasons why it has not.
(b) When a child has been delivered to a shelter care facility, the supervisor of the facility shall deliver to the court a signed report acknowledging receipt of the child stating the time of the child's arrival. The supervisor of the facility shall ascertain from the report of the person who has taken the child into custody whether the child's parent, guardian or custodian has been notified of the placement of the child at the shelter care facility and its location, and the supervisor shall follow any instructions concerning notification contained in that report.

Legislative History

1999 c 139 art 2 s 24;1Sp2003 c 14 art 4 s 15;2023 c 52 art 11 s 25