AN ACT Relating to juveniles; amending RCW 13.40.020 and 13.40.080; and adding a new section to chapter 13.40 RCW.

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

Sec. 1. Section 56, chapter 291, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as last amended by section 7, chapter 191, Laws of 1983 and RCW 13.40.020 are each amended to read as follows:

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) "Serious offender" means a person fifteen years of age or older who has committed an offense which if committed by an adult would be:

(a) A class A felony, or an attempt to commit a class A felony;

(b) Manslaughter in the first degree or rape in the second degree; or

(c) Assault in the second degree, extortion in the first degree, indecent liberties, kidnapping in the second degree, robbery in the second degree, burglary in the second degree, or statutory rape in the second degree, where such offenses include the infliction of bodily harm upon another or where during the commission of or immediate withdrawal from such an offense the perpetrator is armed with a deadly weapon or firearm as defined in RCW 9A.04.110;

(2) "Community service" means compulsory service, without compensation, performed for the benefit of the community by the offender as punishment for committing an offense;

(3) "Community supervision" means an order of disposition by the court of an adjudicated youth. A community supervision order for a single offense may be for a period of up to one year and include one or more of the following:

(a) A fine, not to exceed one hundred dollars;

(b) Community service not to exceed one hundred fifty hours of service;

(d) Counseling; or

(e) Such other services to the extent funds are available for such services, conditions, or limitations as the court may require which may not include confinement;

(4) "Confinement" means physical custody by the department of social and health services in a facility operated by or pursuant to a contract with the state, or physical custody in a facility operated by or pursuant to a contract with any county. Confinement of less than thirty-one days imposed as part of a disposition or modification order may be served consecutively or intermittently, in the discretion of the court;

(5) "Court", when used without further qualification, means the juvenile court judge(s) or commissioner(s);

(6) "Criminal history" includes all criminal charges or complaints against the respondent for which, prior to the commission of a current offense:

(a) The allegations were found correct by a court. If a respondent is convicted of two or more charges arising out of the same course of conduct, only the highest charge from among these shall count as an offense for the purposes of this chapter; or

(b) The criminal charge or complaint was diverted by a prosecutor or attorney for a municipality pursuant to the provisions of this chapter on agreement of the respondent and after an advisement to the respondent that the criminal complaint would be considered as part of the respondent's criminal history;

(7) "Department" means the department of social and health services;

(8) "Diversion unit" means any probation counselor or law enforcement agency who enters into a diversion agreement with an alleged youthful offender pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or any other person or entity with whom the juvenile court administrator has contracted to arrange and supervise such agreements pursuant to RCW 13.04.040, as now or hereafter amended, or any person or entity specially funded by the legislature to arrange and supervise diversion agreements in accordance with the requirements of this chapter;

(9) "Institution" means a juvenile facility established pursuant to chapters 72.05 and 72.16 through 72.20 RCW;

(10) "Juvenile," "youth," and "child" mean any individual who is under the chronological age of eighteen years and who has not been previously transferred to adult court;

(11) "Juvenile offender" means any juvenile who has been found by the juvenile court to have committed an offense, including a person eighteen years of age or older over whom jurisdiction has been extended under RCW 13.40.300;

(12) "Manifest injustice" means a disposition that would either impose an excessive penalty on the juvenile or would impose a serious, and clear danger to society in light of the purposes of this chapter;

(13) "Middle offender" means a person who has committed an offense and who is neither a minor or first offender nor a serious offender;

(14) "Minor or first offender" means a person sixteen years of age or younger whose current offense(s) and criminal history fall entirely within one of the following categories:

(a) Four misdemeanors;

(b) Two misdemeanors and one gross misdemeanor;

(d) Three gross misdemeanors;

(e) One class C felony and one misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor;

(f) One class B felony except: Any felony which constitutes an attempt to commit a class A felony; manslaughter in the first degree; rape in the second degree; assault in the second degree; extortion in the first degree; indecent liberties; kidnapping in the second degree; robbery in the second degree; burglary in the second degree; statutory rape in the second degree; vehicular homicide; or arson in the second degree.

For purposes of this definition, current violations shall be counted as misdemeanors;

(15) "Offense" means an act designated a violation or a crime if committed by an adult under the law of this state, under any ordinance of any city or county of this state, under any federal law, or under the law of another state if the act occurred in that state;

(16) "Respondent" means a juvenile who is alleged or proven to have committed an offense;

(17) "Restitution" means financial reimbursement by the offender to the victim, and shall be limited to easily ascertainable damages for injury to or loss of property, actual expenses incurred for medical treatment for physical injury to persons, and lost wages resulting from physical injury. Restitution shall not include reimbursement for damages for mental anguish, pain and suffering, or other intangible losses. Nothing in this chapter shall limit or replace civil remedies or defenses available to the victim or offender;

(18) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social and health services;

(19) "Services" mean services which provide alternatives to incarceration for those juveniles who have pleaded or been adjudicated guilty of an offense or have signed a diversion agreement pursuant to this chapter;

(20) "Foster care" means temporary physical care in a foster family home or group care facility as defined in RCW 74.15.020 and licensed by the department, or other legally authorized care;

(21) "Violation" means an act or omission, which if committed by an adult, must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and is punishable by sanctions which do not include incarceration.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 13.40 RCW to read as follows:

Law enforcement agencies of cities and towns may enter into diversion agreements directly with alleged offenders without first referring a complaint to the juvenile court and the county prosecutor if:

(1) The juvenile has no prior criminal history and the alleged offense would not be a felony if committed by an adult;

(2) The attorney for the city or town has screened the criminal charges to determine if:

(a) The alleged facts would bring the case within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court if referred to the juvenile court; and

(b) On the basis of the available evidence there is probable cause to believe that the juvenile did commit the offense; and

(3) A copy of the criminal charge is forwarded to the prosecutor for inclusion in the alleged offender's criminal history.

Sec. 3. Section 62, chapter 291, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as last amended by section 2, chapter 73, Laws of 1985 and RCW 13.40.080 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A diversion agreement shall be a ((~~contract between a juvenile accused of an offense and a diversionary unit whereby the~~)) written agreement whereby a juvenile agrees to fulfill certain conditions in lieu of prosecution. Such agreements may be entered into only after the prosecutor, attorney for a city or town, or probation counselor pursuant to this chapter, has determined that probable cause exists to believe that a crime has been committed and that the juvenile committed it.

(2) A diversion agreement shall be limited to:

(a) Community service not to exceed one hundred fifty hours, not to be performed during school hours if the juvenile is attending school;

(b) Restitution limited to the amount of actual loss incurred by the victim, and to an amount the juvenile has the means or potential means to pay;

(c) Attendance at up to two hours of counseling and/or up to ten hours of educational or informational sessions at a community agency: PROVIDED, That the state shall not be liable for costs resulting from the diversionary unit exercising the option to permit diversion agreements to mandate attendance at up to two hours of counseling and/or up to ten hours of educational or informational sessions; and

(d) A fine, not to exceed one hundred dollars. In determining the amount of the fine, the diversion unit shall consider only the juvenile's financial resources and whether the juvenile has the means to pay the fine. The diversion unit shall not consider the financial resources of the juvenile's parents, guardian, or custodian in determining the fine to be imposed.

(3) In assessing periods of community service to be performed and restitution to be paid by a juvenile who has entered into a diversion agreement, the court officer to whom this task is assigned shall to the extent possible involve members of the community. Such members of the community shall meet with the juvenile and advise the court officer as to the terms of the diversion agreement and shall supervise the juvenile in carrying out its terms.

(4) A diversion agreement may not exceed a period of six months for a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor or one year for a felony and may include a period extending beyond the eighteenth birthday of the divertee. Any restitution assessed during its term may not exceed an amount which the juvenile could be reasonably expected to pay during this period. If additional time is necessary for the juvenile to complete restitution to the victim, the time period limitations of this subsection may be extended by an additional six months.

(5) The juvenile shall retain the right to be referred to the court at any time prior to the signing of the diversion agreement.

(6) Divertees and potential divertees shall be afforded due process in all contacts with a diversionary unit regardless of whether the juveniles are accepted for diversion or whether the diversion program is successfully completed. Such due process shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) A written diversion agreement shall be executed stating all conditions in clearly understandable language;

(b) Violation of the terms of the agreement shall be the only grounds for termination;

(c) No divertee may be terminated from a diversion program without being given a court hearing, which hearing shall be preceded by:

(i) Written notice of alleged violations of the conditions of the diversion program; and

(ii) Disclosure of all evidence to be offered against the divertee;

(d) The hearing shall be conducted by the juvenile court and shall include:

(i) Opportunity to be heard in person and to present evidence;

(ii) The right to confront and cross-examine all adverse witnesses;

(iii) A written statement by the court as to the evidence relied on and the reasons for termination, should that be the decision; and

(iv) Demonstration by evidence that the divertee has substantially violated the terms of his or her diversion agreement.

(e) The prosecutor may file an information on the offense for which the divertee was diverted:

(i) In juvenile court if the divertee is under eighteen years of age; or

(ii) In superior court or the appropriate court of limited jurisdiction if the divertee is eighteen years of age or older.

(7) The diversion unit shall be responsible for advising a divertee of his or her rights as provided in this chapter.

(8) The right to counsel shall inure prior to the initial interview for purposes of advising the juvenile as to whether he or she desires to participate in the diversion process or to appear in the juvenile court. The juvenile may be represented by counsel at any critical stage of the diversion process, including intake interviews and termination hearings. The juvenile shall be fully advised at the intake of his or her right to an attorney and of the relevant services an attorney can provide. For the purpose of this section, intake interviews mean all interviews regarding the diversion agreement process.

The juvenile shall be advised that a diversion agreement shall constitute a part of the juvenile's criminal history as defined by RCW 13.40.020(6) as now or hereafter amended. A signed acknowledgment of such advisement shall be obtained from the juvenile, and the document shall be maintained by the diversionary unit together with the diversion agreement, and a copy of both documents shall be delivered to the prosecutor if requested by the prosecutor. The supreme court shall promulgate rules setting forth the content of such advisement in simple language.

(9) When a juvenile enters into a diversion agreement, the juvenile court may receive only the following information for dispositional purposes:

(a) The fact that a charge or charges were made;

(b) The fact that a diversion agreement was entered into;

(d) Whether the alleged offender performed his or her obligations under such agreement; and

(e) The facts of the alleged offense.

(10) A diversionary unit may refuse to enter into a diversion agreement with a juvenile. It shall immediately refer such juvenile to the court for action and shall forward to the court the criminal complaint and a detailed statement of its reasons for refusing to enter into a diversion agreement. The diversionary unit shall also immediately refer the case to the prosecuting attorney for action if such juvenile violates the terms of the diversion agreement.

(11) A diversionary unit may, in instances where it determines that the act or omission of an act for which a juvenile has been referred to it involved no victim, or where it determines that the juvenile referred to it has no prior criminal history and is alleged to have committed an illegal act involving no threat of or instance of actual physical harm and involving not more than fifty dollars in property loss or damage and that there is no loss outstanding to the person or firm suffering such damage or loss, counsel and release or release such a juvenile without entering into a diversion agreement: PROVIDED, That any juvenile so handled shall be advised that the act or omission of any act for which he or she had been referred shall constitute a part of the juvenile's criminal history as defined by RCW 13.40.020(6) as now or hereafter amended. A signed acknowledgment of such advisement shall be obtained from the juvenile, and the document shall be maintained by the unit, and a copy of the document shall be delivered to the prosecutor if requested by the prosecutor. The supreme court shall promulgate rules setting forth the content of such advisement in simple language: PROVIDED FURTHER, That a juvenile determined to be eligible by a diversionary unit for such release shall retain the same right to counsel and right to have his or her case referred to the court for formal action as any other juvenile referred to the unit.

(12) A diversion unit may supervise the fulfillment of a diversion agreement entered into before the juvenile's eighteenth birthday and which includes a period extending beyond the divertee's eighteenth birthday.

(13) If a fine required by a diversion agreement cannot reasonably be paid due to a change of circumstance, the diversion agreement may be modified at the request of the divertee and with the concurrence of the diversion unit to convert an unpaid fine into community service. The modification of the diversion agreement shall be in writing and signed by the divertee and the diversion unit. The number of hours of community service in lieu of a monetary penalty shall be converted at the rate of the prevailing state minimum wage per hour.

(14) Fines imposed under this section shall be collected and paid into the county general fund in accordance with procedures established by the juvenile court administrator under RCW 13.04.040 and may be used only for juvenile services. In the expenditure of funds for juvenile services, there shall be a maintenance of effort whereby counties exhaust existing resources before using amounts collected under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.