§ 37-5-101 — Creation of department - Division of juvenile justice - Deputy commissioner of juvenile justice - Powers and duties - Funding

(a) There is hereby created the department of children's services. (b) (1) Within the department, there is created a division of juvenile justice to serve children who are adjudicated delinquent. (2) The deputy commissioner of juvenile justice shall be appointed to lead the division of juvenile justice and shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner. The commissioner shall appoint a person qualified by training and experience in the area of juvenile justice to perform the duties of deputy commissioner of juvenile justice. The appointee must be a graduate of an accredited college or university and be experienced in the field of juvenile justice. (3) It is the duty and responsibility of the division of juvenile justice to serve children who are adjudicated delinquent. The deputy commissioner shall have the powers and duties that the commissioner shall prescribe, in order to effectively administer, develop and oversee all state programs and services for delinquent children, their families and their communities. (4) The commissioner shall earmark a sum sufficient to be used exclusively for the division of juvenile justice. This budget shall include all appropriations for residential and nonresidential services provided for the prevention of delinquency and the rehabilitation, treatment and training of delinquent youth.

Legislative History

Acts 1996, ch. 1079, § 2; 2006, ch. 818, § 1.