Juvenile Boot Camp Act Exposed

The Juvenile Boot Camp Act does not include adoption or approval information. ALEC has attempted to distance itself from this piece of legislation after the launch of ALECexposed.org in 2011, but it has done nothing to get it repealed in the states where it previously pushed for it to be made into law.

ALEC Bill Text

Summary

This bill establishes a juvenile “boot camp” patterned after military-style basic training as an alternative to traditional methods of juvenile incarceration and rehabilitation. This bill meets the requirements for federal funds block granted to states for boot camps

Section 1.

Definitions, as Used in this Act:

• “Department” shall mean the {Insert appropriate state juvenile agency}

• “Juvenile” shall mean an individual within t,he jurisdiction of the juvenile division of the {Insert Appropriate Court In Your State}

Section 2.

A. The department shall establish one or more juvenile boot camps to house and train juveniles who are ordered to participate in a juvenile boot camp program.

Section 3.

A. The department shall develop one or more juvenile boot camp programs for juveniles ordered to participate in such a program. A juvenile boot camp program shall provide a program of physically strenuous work and exercise patterned after military-style basic training, plus educational and substance abuse programming, including individual counseling if the department determines that counseling is needed. A juvenile boot camp shall be restricted to juveniles of the same sex.

Section 4.

A. After a juvenile is placed in a juvenile boot camp program, the department shall verify that the juvenile meets the requirements of the program, is physically capable of completing the program, and that there is an opening in the juvenile boot camp program. If the juvenile does not meet any of these requirements, or there is no opening, then the juvenile shall be returned to the court that entered the disposition for alternative disposition.

B. The juvenile’s placement in a juvenile boot camp program shall not be less than 90 days, and not more than 180 days. However, if during that period the juvenile misses more than five days of program participation due to medical excuse for illness or injury occurring after he or she was placed in the program, the placement period shall be increased by the number of days missed, beginning with the sixth day of medical excuse, up to a maximum of 20 days. A physician’s statement shall verify a medical excuse and a copy shall be sent to the court entering the disposition. A juvenile who is medically unable to participate in a juvenile boot camp program for more than 25 days shall be returned to the court that entered the disposition for alternative disposition.

C. Following his or her stay in a juvenile boot camp, the juvenile shall complete a period of not less than 120 days or more than 180 days of intensive supervised community reintegration in the local community.

Section 5.

When the juvenile is placed in the juvenile boot camp, the clerk of the court entering the disposition shall mail the department a certified copy of the disposition within five business days after placement.

Section 6.

A. At any time during a juvenile’s stay in a juvenile boot camp, but not less than five days before the juvenile’s expected date of release, the department shall certify to the court that entered the disposition whether the juvenile has satisfactorily completed the course of training at the juvenile boot camp.

B. A juvenile who fails to perform satisfactorily at the juvenile boot camp program shall be reported to the court that entered the disposition for alternative disposition.