HB5853eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5853 Engrossed LRB096 18818 RLC 36074 b

AN ACT concerning courts.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 5-750 as follows:

(705 ILCS 405/5-750)

Sec. 5-750. Commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(1) Except as provided in subsections subsection (2) and (2.5) of this Section, when any delinquent has been adjudged a ward of the court under this Act, the court may commit him or her to the Department of Juvenile Justice, if it finds that (a) his or her parents, guardian or legal custodian are unfit or are unable, for some reason other than financial circumstances alone, to care for, protect, train or discipline the minor, or are unwilling to do so, and the best interests of the minor and the public will not be served by placement under Section 5-740 or; (b) it is necessary to ensure the protection of the public from the consequences of criminal activity of the delinquent.

(2) When a minor of the age of at least 13 years is adjudged delinquent for the offense of first degree murder, the court shall declare the minor a ward of the court and order the minor committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice until the minor's 21st birthday, without the possibility of parole, furlough, or non-emergency authorized absence for a period of 5 years from the date the minor was committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, except that the time that a minor spent in custody for the instant offense before being committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be considered as time credited towards that 5 year period. Nothing in this subsection (2) shall preclude the State's Attorney from seeking to prosecute a minor as an adult as an alternative to proceeding under this Act.

(2.5) The court may not commit to the Department of Juvenile Justice a delinquent who has been adjudged a ward of the court under this Act for an act that if committed by an adult would be a misdemeanor. If a minor has been adjudged a ward of the court under this Act for an act that if committed by an adult would be a Class 4 or Class 3 felony, the court shall, in addition to the factors and review in Section 5-750 and elsewhere in this Act, evaluate whether the best interests of the minor and the public will be served by placing the minor in a community based alternative program instead of commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (2), the commitment of a delinquent to the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be for an indeterminate term which shall automatically terminate upon the delinquent attaining the age of 21 years unless the delinquent is sooner discharged from parole or custodianship is otherwise terminated in accordance with this Act or as otherwise provided for by law.

(4) When the court commits a minor to the Department of Juvenile Justice, it shall order him or her conveyed forthwith to the appropriate reception station or other place designated by the Department of Juvenile Justice, and shall appoint the Director of Juvenile Justice legal custodian of the minor. The clerk of the court shall issue to the Director of Juvenile Justice a certified copy of the order, which constitutes proof of the Director's authority. No other process need issue to warrant the keeping of the minor.

(5) If a minor is committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, the clerk of the court shall forward to the Department:

(a) the disposition ordered;

(b) all reports;

(c) the court's statement of the basis for ordering the disposition; and

(d) all additional matters which the court directs the clerk to transmit.

(6) Whenever the Department of Juvenile Justice lawfully discharges from its custody and control a minor committed to it, the Director of Juvenile Justice shall petition the court for an order terminating his or her custodianship. The custodianship shall terminate automatically 30 days after receipt of the petition unless the court orders otherwise.

(Source: P.A. 94-696, eff. 6-1-06.)