SENATE, No. 1272
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED JUNE 3, 1996
By Senators LaROSSA and INVERSO
An Act concerning the disclosure of the identity of juveniles and amending P.L.1982, c.79.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1982, c.79 (C.2A:4A-60) is amended to read as follows:
Disclosure of juvenile information; penalties for disclosure
1. Disclosure of juvenile information; penalties for disclosure.
a. Social, medical, psychological, legal and other records of the court and probation division, and records of law enforcement agencies, pertaining to juveniles charged as a delinquent or found to be part of a juvenile-family crisis, shall be strictly safeguarded from public inspection. Such records shall be made available only to:
(1) Any court or probation division;
(2) The Attorney General or county prosecutor;
(3) The parents or guardian and to the attorney of the juvenile;
(4) The Department of Human Services, if providing care or custody of the juvenile;
(5) Any institution or facility to which the juvenile is currently committed or in which the juvenile is placed;
(6) Any person or agency interested in a case or in the work of the agency keeping the records, by order of the court for good cause shown, except that information concerning adjudications of delinquency, records of custodial confinement, payments owed on assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1) or restitution ordered following conviction of a crime or adjudication of delinquency, and the juvenile's financial resources, shall be made available upon request to the Victims of Crime Compensation Board established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1971, c.317 (C.52:4B-3), which shall keep such information and records confidential;and
(7) The Juvenile Justice Commission established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-170).
b. Records of law enforcement agencies may be disclosed for law enforcement purposes to any law enforcement agency of this State, another state or the United States, and the identity of a juvenile under warrant for arrest for commission of an act that would constitute a crime if committed by an adult may be disclosed to the public when necessary to execution of the warrant.
c. At the time of charge, adjudication or disposition, information as to the identity of [a] the juvenile and of the juvenile's parents [charged with an offense], the offense charged, the adjudication and disposition shall, upon request, be disclosed to:
(1) The victim or a member of the victim's immediate family;
(2) Any law enforcement agency which investigated the offense, the person or agency which filed the complaint, and any law enforcement agency in the municipality where the juvenile resides; and
(3) [On a confidential basis, the] The principal of the school where the juvenile is enrolled for use by the principal and such members of the staff and faculty of the school as the principal deems appropriate for maintaining order, safety or discipline in the school or to planning programs relevant to the juvenile's educational and social development, provided that no record of such information shall be maintained except as authorized by regulation of the Department of Education; or
(4) A party in a subsequent legal proceeding involving the juvenile, upon approval by the court;
(5) Members of the news media.
d. A law enforcement or prosecuting agency shall, at the time of a charge, adjudication or disposition, advise the principal of the school where the juvenile is enrolled of the identity of the juvenile charged, the offense charged, the adjudication and the disposition if:
(1) The offense occurred on school property or a school bus, occurred at a school-sponsored function or was committed against an employee or official of the school; or
(2) The juvenile was taken into custody as a result of information or evidence provided by school officials; or
(3) The offense, if committed by an adult, would constitute a crime, and the offense:
(a) resulted in death or serious bodily injury or involved an attempt or conspiracy to cause death or serious bodily injury; or
(b) involved the unlawful use or possession of a firearm or other weapon; or
(c) involved the unlawful manufacture, distribution or possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance or controlled substance analog; or
(d) was committed by a juvenile who acted with a purpose to intimidate an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity; or
(e) would be a crime of the first or second degree.
Information provided to the principal pursuant to this subsection shall be treated as confidential but may be made available to such members of the staff and faculty of the school as the principal deems appropriate for maintaining order, safety or discipline in the school or for planning programs relevant to a juvenile's educational and social development, and no record of such information shall be maintained except as authorized by regulation of the Department of Education.
e. Nothing in this section prohibits a law enforcement or prosecuting agency from providing the principal of a school with information identifying one or more juveniles who are under investigation or have been taken into custody for commission of any act that would constitute an offense if committed by an adult when the law enforcement or prosecuting agency determines that the information may be useful to the principal in maintaining order, safety or discipline in the school or in planning programs relevant to the juvenile's educational and social development. Information provided to the principal pursuant to this subsection shall be treated as confidential but may be made available to such members of the staff and faculty of the school as the principal deems appropriate for maintaining order, safety or discipline in the school or for planning programs relevant to the juvenile's educational and social development. No information provided pursuant to this section shall be maintained.
f. Information as to the identity of a juvenile adjudicated delinquent, the offense, the adjudication and the disposition shall be disclosed to the public where the offense for which the juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent if committed by an adult, would constitute a crime of the first, second or third degree, or aggravated assault, destruction or damage to property to an extent of more than $500.00, unless upon application at the time of disposition the juvenile demonstrates a substantial likelihood that specific and extraordinary harm would result from such disclosure in the specific case. Where the court finds that disclosure would be harmful to the juvenile, the reasons therefor shall be stated on the record.
g. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the establishment and maintaining of a central registry of the records of law enforcement agencies relating to juveniles for the purpose of exchange between State or local law enforcement agencies of this State, another state, or the United States.
h. Whoever, except as provided by law, knowingly discloses, publishes, receives, or makes use of or knowingly permits the unauthorized use of information concerning a particular juvenile derived from records listed in subsection a. or acquired in the course of court proceedings, probation, or police duties, shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.
i. The court may, upon application by the juvenile or his parent or guardian, the prosecutor or any other interested party, including the victim or complainant or members of the news media, permit public attendance during any court proceeding at a delinquency case, where it determines that a substantial likelihood that specific harm to the juvenile would not result, and the court shall permit a victim, or a family member of a victim to make a statement prior to ordering a disposition in any delinquency proceeding involving an offense that would constitute a crime if committed by an adult. The court shall have the authority to limit and control the attendance in any manner and to the extent it deems appropriate.
j. The Department of Education, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations concerning the creation, maintenance and disclosure of pupil records including information acquired pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.280, s.15.)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides for the disclosure to the news media of the identity of juveniles and their parents if a juvenile is charged with delinquency or adjudicated delinquent.
Provides for disclosure to the news media of the identities of juveniles and their parents in delinquency cases.