E2SSB 6561 -
By Committee on Human Services
ADOPTED AND ENGROSSED 03/03/2010
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 13.04.240 and 1961 c 302 s 16 are each amended to
read as follows:
An order of court adjudging a child ((delinquent)) a juvenile
offender or dependent under the provisions of this chapter shall in no
case be deemed a conviction of crime.
Sec. 2 RCW 13.50.050 and 2008 c 221 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) This section governs records relating to the commission of
juvenile offenses, including records relating to diversions.
(2) The official juvenile court file of any alleged or proven
juvenile offender shall be open to public inspection, unless sealed
pursuant to subsection (12) of this section.
(3) All records other than the official juvenile court file are
confidential and may be released only as provided in this section, RCW
13.50.010, 13.40.215, and 4.24.550.
(4) Except as otherwise provided in this section and RCW 13.50.010,
records retained or produced by any juvenile justice or care agency may
be released to other participants in the juvenile justice or care
system only when an investigation or case involving the juvenile in
question is being pursued by the other participant or when that other
participant is assigned the responsibility for supervising the
juvenile.
(5) Except as provided in RCW 4.24.550, information not in an
official juvenile court file concerning a juvenile or a juvenile's
family may be released to the public only when that information could
not reasonably be expected to identify the juvenile or the juvenile's
family.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the
release, to the juvenile or his or her attorney, of law enforcement and
prosecuting attorneys' records pertaining to investigation, diversion,
and prosecution of juvenile offenses shall be governed by the rules of
discovery and other rules of law applicable in adult criminal
investigations and prosecutions.
(7) Upon the decision to arrest or the arrest, law enforcement and
prosecuting attorneys may cooperate with schools in releasing
information to a school pertaining to the investigation, diversion, and
prosecution of a juvenile attending the school. Upon the decision to
arrest or the arrest, incident reports may be released unless releasing
the records would jeopardize the investigation or prosecution or
endanger witnesses. If release of incident reports would jeopardize
the investigation or prosecution or endanger witnesses, law enforcement
and prosecuting attorneys may release information to the maximum extent
possible to assist schools in protecting other students, staff, and
school property.
(8) The juvenile court and the prosecutor may set up and maintain
a central record-keeping system which may receive information on all
alleged juvenile offenders against whom a complaint has been filed
pursuant to RCW 13.40.070 whether or not their cases are currently
pending before the court. The central record-keeping system may be
computerized. If a complaint has been referred to a diversion unit,
the diversion unit shall promptly report to the juvenile court or the
prosecuting attorney when the juvenile has agreed to diversion. An
offense shall not be reported as criminal history in any central
record-keeping system without notification by the diversion unit of the
date on which the offender agreed to diversion.
(9) Upon request of the victim of a crime or the victim's immediate
family, the identity of an alleged or proven juvenile offender alleged
or found to have committed a crime against the victim and the identity
of the alleged or proven juvenile offender's parent, guardian, or
custodian and the circumstance of the alleged or proven crime shall be
released to the victim of the crime or the victim's immediate family.
(10) Subject to the rules of discovery applicable in adult criminal
prosecutions, the juvenile offense records of an adult criminal
defendant or witness in an adult criminal proceeding shall be released
upon request to prosecution and defense counsel after a charge has
actually been filed. The juvenile offense records of any adult
convicted of a crime and placed under the supervision of the adult
corrections system shall be released upon request to the adult
corrections system.
(11) In any case in which an information has been filed pursuant to
RCW 13.40.100 or a complaint has been filed with the prosecutor and
referred for diversion pursuant to RCW 13.40.070, the person the
subject of the information or complaint may file a motion with the
court to have the court vacate its order and findings, if any, and,
subject to subsection (23) of this section, order the sealing of the
official juvenile court file, the social file, and records of the court
and of any other agency in the case.
(12)(a) The court shall not grant any motion to seal records for
class A offenses made pursuant to subsection (11) of this section that
is filed on or after July 1, 1997, unless ((it finds that)):
(((a) For class B offenses other than sex offenses,)) (i) Since the
last date of release from confinement, including full-time residential
treatment, if any, or entry of disposition, the person has spent five
consecutive years in the community without committing any offense or
crime that subsequently results in an adjudication or conviction((.
For class C offenses other than sex offenses, since the last date of
release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, if
any, or entry of disposition, the person has spent two consecutive
years in the community without committing any offense or crime that
subsequently results in conviction. For gross misdemeanors and
misdemeanors, since the last date of release from confinement,
including full-time residential treatment, if any, or entry of
disposition, the person has spent two consecutive years in the
community without committing any offense or crime that subsequently
results in conviction. For diversions, since completion of the
diversion agreement, the person has spent two consecutive years in the
community without committing any offense or crime that subsequently
results in conviction or diversion));
(((b))) (ii) No proceeding is pending against the moving party
seeking the conviction of a juvenile offense or a criminal offense;
(((c))) (iii) No proceeding is pending seeking the formation of a
diversion agreement with that person;
(((d))) (iv) The person has not been convicted of a ((class A or))
sex offense; and
(((e))) (v) Full restitution has been paid.
(b) The court shall not grant any motion to seal records for class
B, C, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor offenses and diversions made
under subsection (11) of this section unless:
(i) Since the date of last release from confinement, including
full-time residential treatment, if any, entry of disposition, or
completion of the diversion agreement, the person has spent two
consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any
offense or crime;
(ii) No proceeding is pending against the moving party seeking the
conviction of a juvenile offense or a criminal offense;
(iii) No proceeding is pending seeking the formation of a diversion
agreement with that person;
(iv) The person has not been convicted of a sex offense; and
(v) Full restitution has been paid.
(13) The person making a motion pursuant to subsection (11) of this
section shall give reasonable notice of the motion to the prosecution
and to any person or agency whose files are sought to be sealed.
(14) If the court grants the motion to seal made pursuant to
subsection (11) of this section, it shall, subject to subsection (23)
of this section, order sealed the official juvenile court file, the
social file, and other records relating to the case as are named in the
order. Thereafter, the proceedings in the case shall be treated as if
they never occurred, and the subject of the records may reply
accordingly to any inquiry about the events, records of which are
sealed. Any agency shall reply to any inquiry concerning confidential
or sealed records that records are confidential, and no information can
be given about the existence or nonexistence of records concerning an
individual.
(15) Inspection of the files and records included in the order to
seal may thereafter be permitted only by order of the court upon motion
made by the person who is the subject of the information or complaint,
except as otherwise provided in RCW 13.50.010(8) and subsection (23) of
this section.
(16) Any adjudication of a juvenile offense or a crime subsequent
to sealing has the effect of nullifying the sealing order. Any
charging of an adult felony subsequent to the sealing has the effect of
nullifying the sealing order for the purposes of chapter 9.94A RCW.
The administrative office of the courts shall ensure that the superior
court judicial information system provides prosecutors access to
information on the existence of sealed juvenile records.
(17)(a)(i) Subject to subsection (23) of this section, all records
maintained by any court or law enforcement agency, including the
juvenile court, local law enforcement, the Washington state patrol, and
the prosecutor's office, shall be automatically destroyed within ninety
days of becoming eligible for destruction. Juvenile records are
eligible for destruction when:
(A) The person who is the subject of the information or complaint
is at least eighteen years of age;
(B) His or her criminal history consists entirely of one diversion
agreement or counsel and release entered on or after June 12, 2008;
(C) Two years have elapsed since completion of the agreement or
counsel and release;
(D) No proceeding is pending against the person seeking the
conviction of a criminal offense; and
(E) There is no restitution owing in the case.
(ii) No less than quarterly, the administrative office of the
courts shall provide a report to the juvenile courts of those
individuals whose records may be eligible for destruction. The
juvenile court shall verify eligibility and notify the Washington state
patrol and the appropriate local law enforcement agency and
prosecutor's office of the records to be destroyed. The requirement to
destroy records under this subsection is not dependent on a court
hearing or the issuance of a court order to destroy records.
(iii) The state and local governments and their officers and
employees are not liable for civil damages for the failure to destroy
records pursuant to this section.
(b) A person eighteen years of age or older whose criminal history
consists entirely of one diversion agreement or counsel and release
entered prior to June 12, 2008, may request that the court order the
records in his or her case destroyed. The request shall be granted,
subject to subsection (23) of this section, if the court finds that two
years have elapsed since completion of the agreement or counsel and
release.
(c) A person twenty-three years of age or older whose criminal
history consists of only referrals for diversion may request that the
court order the records in those cases destroyed. The request shall be
granted, subject to subsection (23) of this section, if the court finds
that all diversion agreements have been successfully completed and no
proceeding is pending against the person seeking the conviction of a
criminal offense.
(18) If the court grants the motion to destroy records made
pursuant to subsection (17)(b) or (c) of this section, it shall,
subject to subsection (23) of this section, order the official juvenile
court file, the social file, and any other records named in the order
to be destroyed.
(19) The person making the motion pursuant to subsection (17)(b) or
(c) of this section shall give reasonable notice of the motion to the
prosecuting attorney and to any agency whose records are sought to be
destroyed.
(20) Any juvenile to whom the provisions of this section may apply
shall be given written notice of his or her rights under this section
at the time of his or her disposition hearing or during the diversion
process.
(21) Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent a crime
victim or a member of the victim's family from divulging the identity
of the alleged or proven juvenile offender or his or her family when
necessary in a civil proceeding.
(22) Any juvenile justice or care agency may, subject to the
limitations in subsection (23) of this section and (a) and (b) of this
subsection, develop procedures for the routine destruction of records
relating to juvenile offenses and diversions.
(a) Records may be routinely destroyed only when the person the
subject of the information or complaint has attained twenty-three years
of age or older or pursuant to subsection (17)(a) of this section.
(b) The court may not routinely destroy the official juvenile court
file or recordings or transcripts of any proceedings.
(23) No identifying information held by the Washington state patrol
in accordance with chapter 43.43 RCW is subject to destruction or
sealing under this section. For the purposes of this subsection,
identifying information includes photographs, fingerprints, palmprints,
soleprints, toeprints and any other data that identifies a person by
physical characteristics, name, birthdate or address, but does not
include information regarding criminal activity, arrest, charging,
diversion, conviction or other information about a person's treatment
by the criminal justice system or about the person's behavior.
(24) Information identifying child victims under age eighteen who
are victims of sexual assaults by juvenile offenders is confidential
and not subject to release to the press or public without the
permission of the child victim or the child's legal guardian.
Identifying information includes the child victim's name, addresses,
location, photographs, and in cases in which the child victim is a
relative of the alleged perpetrator, identification of the relationship
between the child and the alleged perpetrator. Information identifying
a child victim of sexual assault may be released to law enforcement,
prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, or private or governmental
agencies that provide services to the child victim of sexual assault.
Sec. 3 RCW 13.50.010 and 2009 c 440 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) For purposes of this chapter:
(a) "Juvenile justice or care agency" means any of the following:
Police, diversion units, court, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney,
detention center, attorney general, the legislative children's
oversight committee, the office of the family and children's ombudsman,
the department of social and health services and its contracting
agencies, schools; persons or public or private agencies having
children committed to their custody; and any placement oversight
committee created under RCW 72.05.415;
(b) "Official juvenile court file" means the legal file of the
juvenile court containing the petition or information, motions,
memorandums, briefs, findings of the court, and court orders;
(c) "Records" means the official juvenile court file, the social
file, and records of any other juvenile justice or care agency in the
case;
(d) "Social file" means the juvenile court file containing the
records and reports of the probation counselor.
(2) Each petition or information filed with the court may include
only one juvenile and each petition or information shall be filed under
a separate docket number. The social file shall be filed separately
from the official juvenile court file.
(3) It is the duty of any juvenile justice or care agency to
maintain accurate records. To this end:
(a) The agency may never knowingly record inaccurate information.
Any information in records maintained by the department of social and
health services relating to a petition filed pursuant to chapter 13.34
RCW that is found by the court to be false or inaccurate shall be
corrected or expunged from such records by the agency;
(b) An agency shall take reasonable steps to assure the security of
its records and prevent tampering with them; and
(c) An agency shall make reasonable efforts to insure the
completeness of its records, including action taken by other agencies
with respect to matters in its files.
(4) Each juvenile justice or care agency shall implement procedures
consistent with the provisions of this chapter to facilitate inquiries
concerning records.
(5) Any person who has reasonable cause to believe information
concerning that person is included in the records of a juvenile justice
or care agency and who has been denied access to those records by the
agency may make a motion to the court for an order authorizing that
person to inspect the juvenile justice or care agency record concerning
that person. The court shall grant the motion to examine records
unless it finds that in the interests of justice or in the best
interests of the juvenile the records or parts of them should remain
confidential.
(6) A juvenile, or his or her parents, or any person who has
reasonable cause to believe information concerning that person is
included in the records of a juvenile justice or care agency may make
a motion to the court challenging the accuracy of any information
concerning the moving party in the record or challenging the continued
possession of the record by the agency. If the court grants the
motion, it shall order the record or information to be corrected or
destroyed.
(7) The person making a motion under subsection (5) or (6) of this
section shall give reasonable notice of the motion to all parties to
the original action and to any agency whose records will be affected by
the motion.
(8) The court may permit inspection of records by, or release of
information to, any clinic, hospital, or agency which has the subject
person under care or treatment. The court may also permit inspection
by or release to individuals or agencies, including juvenile justice
advisory committees of county law and justice councils, engaged in
legitimate research for educational, scientific, or public purposes.
((The court may also permit inspection of, or release of information
from, records which have been sealed pursuant to RCW 13.50.050(12).))
The court shall release to the sentencing guidelines commission records
needed for its research and data-gathering functions under RCW
9.94A.850 and other statutes. Access to records or information for
research purposes shall be permitted only if the anonymity of all
persons mentioned in the records or information will be preserved.
Each person granted permission to inspect juvenile justice or care
agency records for research purposes shall present a notarized
statement to the court stating that the names of juveniles and parents
will remain confidential.
(9) Juvenile detention facilities shall release records to the
sentencing guidelines commission under RCW 9.94A.850 upon request. The
commission shall not disclose the names of any juveniles or parents
mentioned in the records without the named individual's written
permission.
(10) Requirements in this chapter relating to the court's authority
to compel disclosure shall not apply to the legislative children's
oversight committee or the office of the family and children's
ombudsman.
(11) For the purpose of research only, the administrative office of
the courts shall maintain an electronic research copy of all records in
the judicial information system related to juveniles. Access to the
research copy is restricted to the Washington state center for court
research. The Washington state center for court research shall
maintain the confidentiality of all confidential records and shall
preserve the anonymity of all persons identified in the research copy.
The research copy may not be subject to any records retention schedule
and must include records destroyed or removed from the judicial
information system pursuant to RCW 13.50.050 (17) and (18) and
13.50.100(3).
(12) The court shall release to the Washington state office of
public defense records needed to implement the agency's oversight,
technical assistance, and other functions as required by RCW 2.70.020.
Access to the records used as a basis for oversight, technical
assistance, or other agency functions is restricted to the Washington
state office of public defense. The Washington state office of public
defense shall maintain the confidentiality of all confidential
information included in the records.
Sec. 4 RCW 13.04.011 and 1997 c 338 s 6 are each amended to read
as follows:
For purposes of this title:
(1) "Adjudication" has the same meaning as "conviction" in RCW
9.94A.030, ((and the terms must be construed identically and used
interchangeably)) but only for the purposes of sentencing under chapter
9.94A RCW;
(2) Except as specifically provided in RCW 13.40.020 and chapter
13.24 RCW, "juvenile," "youth," and "child" mean any individual who is
under the chronological age of eighteen years;
(3) "Juvenile offender" and "juvenile offense" have the meaning
ascribed in RCW 13.40.020;
(4) "Court" when used without further qualification means the
juvenile court judge(s) or commissioner(s);
(5) "Parent" or "parents," except as used in chapter 13.34 RCW,
means that parent or parents who have the right of legal custody of the
child. "Parent" or "parents" as used in chapter 13.34 RCW, means the
biological or adoptive parents of a child unless the legal rights of
that person have been terminated by judicial proceedings;
(6) "Custodian" means that person who has the legal right to
custody of the child."
Correct the title.