(a)(1) The Judicial Branch shall develop a continuum of community-based programs for the reduction of delinquency among juveniles. When appropriate, the Judicial Branch shall coordinate such programs with the Department of Children and Families, the State Department of Education, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services, and any other agencies as necessary.

(2) The continuum of community-based programs shall be designed to address the individual risks and needs of juveniles, shall have the capacity to take into account each juvenile's history, age, maturity and social development, gender, mental health, alcohol or drug use, need for structured supervision and other characteristics, and shall be culturally appropriate, trauma-informed and provided in the least restrictive environment possible in a manner consistent with public safety. The Judicial Branch shall develop programs that provide research and evidence-based skills-training and assistance to promote independent living skills, positive activities and social connections in the juveniles' home communities and to address: (A) Anti-sociality, impulse control and behavioral problems; (B) anger management and nonviolent conflict resolution; (C) alcohol and drug use and dependency; (D) mental health needs; (E) inappropriate sexual behavior; (F) family engagement; (G) academic disengagement; and (H) technical and vocational training needs.

(b) The Judicial Branch may establish or contract to establish secure and staff-secure residential facilities for juveniles referred by the court. Such facilities shall be exempt from the licensing requirements of section 17a-145.

(c) The Judicial Branch, as part of a publicly bid contract, may include a requirement that the contractor provide for space necessary for juvenile probation offices and other staff of the Court Support Services Division to perform their duties.

(d) The Judicial Branch may consult with the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System established pursuant to section 51-10c to address the needs of minorities in the juvenile justice system.

(P.A. 95-225, S. 6, 52; P.A. 98-256, S. 2; P.A. 01-181, S. 3; P.A. 02-132, S. 20; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 84; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 92; P.A. 18-31, S. 29.)

History: P.A. 95-225 effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 98-256 amended Subsec. (b) to replace “juveniles sentenced to probation by the court” with “juveniles referred by the court”; P.A. 01-181 added Subsec. (d) re any program developed by Office of Alternate Sanctions designed to prevent or reduce delinquency and crime among juvenile offenders to be gender specific; P.A. 02-132 replaced “Office of Alternative Sanctions” with “Court Support Services Division” in Subsecs. (a), (c) and (d), replaced “director” with “executive director of the Court Support Services Division” in Subsec. (a) and replaced “Office of Alternative Sanctions” with “Judicial Department” in Subsec. (b); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 inserted new Subdiv. (1) and (2) and Subpara. (A) to (G) designators in Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (a)(1) re juveniles classified pursuant to risk assessment instrument as those who may be released with or without supervision and coordination of programs with Departments of Children and Families and Mental Health and Addiction Services, rewrote Subsec. (a)(2) re programs and services, and inserted Subsec. (e) re consultation with Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity, effective July 1, 2007; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 substituted “Judicial Branch” for “Judicial Department” and “Court Support Services Division”, amended Subsec. (a) to insert “within the Judicial Branch”, inserted new Subsec. (d) re requirement in publicly bid contract for space necessary for juvenile probation offices and other staff to perform duties, and redesignated existing Subsecs. (d) and (e) as Subsecs. (e) and (f), effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 18-31 amended Subsec. (a)(1) by replacing provisions re programs for prevention and reduction of delinquency with provisions re continuum of community-based programs for reduction of delinquency, deleted former Subsec. (a)(2) re programs tailored to type of juvenile, added new Subsec. (a)(2) re programs designed to address individual risks and needs of juveniles, deleted former Subsecs. (b) to (e), added new Subsec. (b) re secure and staff-secure residential facilities, added new Subsec. (c) re contract requirement for space for probation offices and other staff, redesignated existing Subsec. (f) as new Subsec. (d) and amended same by replacing “shall” with “may”, effective July 1, 2018.