§ 52:17B-170 — Youth Justice Commission established.

2. a. A Youth Justice Commission is established in, but not of, the Department of Law and Public Safety. The commission is allocated to the Department of Law and Public Safety for the purpose of complying with Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution. The Attorney General shall be the request officer for the commission within the meaning of section 6 of article 3 of P.L.1944, c.112 (C.52:27B-15) and shall exercise that authority and other administrative functions, powers and duties consistent with the provisions of this act. b. The commission shall consist of an executive director, an executive board, an advisory council and such facilities, officers, employees and organizational units as provided herein or as otherwise necessary to performance of the commission's duties and responsibilities. c. The executive director shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor during the Governor's term of office and until a successor is appointed and qualified. d. The executive board shall consist of the following members: The Attorney General, who shall serve as chair of the executive board; the Commissioner of Corrections and the Commissioner of Children and Families, who shall serve as vice-chairs of the executive board; the Commissioner of Education; the chair of the Youth Justice Commission advisory council, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-172); and two members who serve as chairs of a county youth services commission, established pursuant to P.L.1995, c.282 (C.52:17B-180), to be appointed by the Governor to serve at the Governor's pleasure. The Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts is invited to participate on the executive board, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court. A member of the executive board may name a designee who shall have the authority to act for the member. Members of the executive board shall serve without compensation for their services to the commission. The executive board shall meet at least quarterly and at such other times as designated by the chair. Except with respect to matters concerning distribution of funds to counties, four members of the executive board shall constitute a quorum to transact business of the executive board and action of the executive board shall require an affirmative vote of four members. A member of the executive board who is also a member of a county youth services commission shall not participate in matters concerning distribution of funds to counties; in these matters, three members of the executive board shall constitute a quorum to transact business and an action of the executive board shall require an affirmative vote of three members. e. The commission shall have the following powers, duties and responsibilities: (1) To specify qualifications for and to employ, within the limits of available appropriations and subject to the provisions of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-169 et seq.) and Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, such staff as are necessary to accomplish the work of the commission or as are needed for the proper performance of the functions and duties of the commission, including but not limited to: (a) The number of deputy directors, assistant directors, superintendents, assistant superintendents and other assistants who shall be in the unclassified service and shall be deemed confidential employees for the purposes of the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act," P.L.1941, c.100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.); and (b) Juvenile corrections officers; (2) To utilize such staff of the Department of Law and Public Safety as the Attorney General, within the limits of available appropriations, may make available to the commission; (3) To organize the work of the commission in appropriate bureaus and other organization units; (4) To enter into contracts and agreements with State, county and municipal governmental agencies and with private entities for the purpose of providing services and sanctions for juveniles adjudicated or charged as delinquent and programs for prevention of juvenile delinquency; (5) To contract for the services of professional and technical personnel and consultants as necessary to fulfill the statutory responsibilities of the commission; (6) To establish minimum standards for the care, treatment, government and discipline of juveniles confined pending, or as a result of, an adjudication of delinquency; (7) To assume the custody and care of all juveniles committed by court order, law, classification, regulation or contract to the custody of the commission or transferred to the custody of the commission pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-176); (8) To manage and operate all State secure juvenile facilities which shall include the New Jersey Training School for Boys created pursuant to R.S.30:1-7 and transferred to the Commissioner of Corrections pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1976, c.98 (C.30:1B-8) and the Juvenile Medium Security Facility created pursuant to R.S.30:1-7 and both transferred to the commission pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-176) and shall include any other secure juvenile facility established by the commission in the future; (9) To manage and operate all State juvenile facilities or juvenile programs for juveniles adjudicated delinquent which shall include facilities and programs transferred to the commission pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-176) or established or contracted for in the future by the commission; (10) To prepare a State Youth Justice Master Plan every third year which identifies facilities, sanctions and services available for juveniles adjudicated or charged as delinquent and juvenile delinquency prevention programs and which identifies additional needs based upon the extent and nature of juvenile delinquency and the adequacy and effectiveness of available facilities, services, sanctions and programs; (11) To approve plans for each county submitted by the county youth services commission pursuant to P.L.1995, c.282 (C.52:17B-180); (12) To administer the State/Community Partnership Grant Program established pursuant to P.L.1995, c.283 (C.52:17B-179); (13) To accept from any governmental department or agency, public or private body or any other source, grants or contributions to be used in exercising its power, and in meeting its duties and responsibilities; (14) To formulate and adopt standards and rules for the efficient conduct of the work of the commission, the facilities, services, sanctions and programs within its jurisdiction, and its officers and employees; (15) To provide for the development of the facilities, services, sanctions and programs within its jurisdiction and to promote the integration of State, county and local facilities, sanctions, services and programs, including probation and parole; (16) To institute, or cause to be instituted, such legal proceedings or processes as may be necessary to enforce properly and give effect to any of its powers or duties including the authority to compel by subpoena, subject to the sanction for contempt of subpoena issued by a court, attendance and production of records; (17) To provide for the timely and efficient collection and analysis of data regarding the juvenile justice system to insure the continuing review and evaluation of services, policies and procedures; (18) To receive and classify juveniles committed to the custody of the commission; (19) To determine whether an incarcerated juvenile is eligible for parole and to supervise compliance with conditions of parole; (20) To establish appropriate dispositions of juveniles for whom parole has been revoked; (21) To perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law; and (22) To promulgate, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement and effectuate the purposes of this act. f. Whenever the term "Juvenile Justice Commission" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the "Youth Justice Commission" established and designated therein. L.1995, c.284, s.2; amended 2005, c.164, s.1; 2006, c.47, s.192; 2019, c.363, s.17; 2025, c.35, s.63.