House Bill 1220

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-21-119, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY YOUTH COURT JUDGE MAY SELECT A JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAILY ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION OF A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY ADMINISTRATORS MUST SUBMIT REPORTS TO THE JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES MONITORING UNIT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 43-21-119, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-21-119. (1) The judge or his designee shall appoint as provided in Section 43-21-123 sufficient personnel, responsible to and under the control of the youth court, to carry on the professional, clerical and other work of the youth court. The cost of these persons appointed by the youth court shall be paid as provided in Section 43-21-123 out of any available funds budgeted for the youth court by the board of supervisors.

(2) Any youth court judge may select a juvenile detention facility administrator, who will be responsible for the daily administration and operation of a juvenile detention facility in the county where the youth court is located; however, the ultimate authority to administer a juvenile detention facility lies with a youth court judge. The youth court judge may elect to contract with a local sheriff or a private contractor to administer the operation and/or specific services and programs for the juvenile detention center.

All juvenile detention facility administrators must submit a report on a quarterly basis to the Juvenile Detention Facilities Monitoring Unit, as created in House Bill No. ____, 2004 Regular Session. The report shall contain (a) the number of juveniles in a juvenile detention center, (b) the number of youth who have injuries or illnesses within a juvenile detention center, and (c) all facility maintenance problems of a juvenile detention center.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.