Fla. Stat. § 985.475 — Florida Code / Title XLVII / Chapter 985 / Part VII / Section 985.475
985.475 Juvenile sexual offenders.
Status: in_force

(1) A “juvenile sexual offender” means: (a) A juvenile who has been found by the court under s. 985.35 to have committed a violation of chapter 794, chapter 796, chapter 800, s. 827.071, or s. 847.0133; (b) A juvenile found to have committed any felony violation of law or delinquent act involving juvenile sexual abuse. “Juvenile sexual abuse” means any sexual behavior that occurs without consent, without equality, or as a result of coercion. For purposes of this subsection, the following definitions apply: 1. “Coercion” means the exploitation of authority, use of bribes, threats of force, or intimidation to gain cooperation or compliance. 2. “Equality” means two participants operating with the same level of power in a relationship, neither being controlled nor coerced by the other. 3. “Consent” means an agreement including all of the following: a. Understanding what is proposed based on age, maturity, developmental level, functioning, and experience. b. Knowledge of societal standards for what is being proposed. c. Awareness of potential consequences and alternatives. d. Assumption that agreement or disagreement will be accepted equally. e. Voluntary decision. f. Mental competence. Juvenile sexual offender behavior ranges from noncontact sexual behavior such as making obscene phone calls, exhibitionism, voyeurism, and the showing or taking of lewd photographs to varying degrees of direct sexual contact, such as frottage, fondling, digital penetration, rape, fellatio, sodomy, and various other sexually aggressive acts.

(2) Following a delinquency adjudicatory hearing under s. 985.35, the court may on its own or upon request by the state or the department and subject to specific appropriation, determine whether a juvenile sexual offender placement is required for the protection of the public and what would be the best approach to address the treatment needs of the juvenile sexual offender. When the court determines that a juvenile has no history of a recent comprehensive assessment focused on sexually deviant behavior, the court may, subject to specific appropriation, order the department to conduct or arrange for an examination to determine whether the juvenile sexual offender is amenable to community-based treatment. (a) The report of the examination shall include, at a minimum, the following: 1. The juvenile sexual offender’s account of the incident and the official report of the investigation. 2. The juvenile sexual offender’s offense history. 3. A multidisciplinary assessment of the sexually deviant behaviors, including an assessment by a certified psychologist, therapist, or psychiatrist. 4. An assessment of the juvenile sexual offender’s family, social, educational, and employment situation. The report shall set forth the sources of the evaluator’s information. (b) The report shall assess the juvenile sexual offender’s amenability to treatment and relative risk to the victim and the community. (c) The department shall provide a proposed plan to the court that shall include, at a minimum: 1. The frequency and type of contact between the offender and therapist. 2. The specific issues and behaviors to be addressed in the treatment and description of planned treatment methods. 3. Monitoring plans, including any requirements regarding living conditions, school attendance and participation, lifestyle, and monitoring by family members, legal guardians, or others. 4. Anticipated length of treatment. 5. Recommended crime-related prohibitions and curfew. 6. Reasonable restrictions on the contact between the juvenile sexual offender and either the victim or alleged victim. (d) After receipt of the report on the proposed plan of treatment, the court shall consider whether the community and the offender will benefit from use of juvenile sexual offender community-based treatment alternative disposition and consider the opinion of the victim or the victim’s family as to whether the offender should receive a community-based treatment alternative disposition under this subsection. (e) If the court determines that this juvenile sexual offender community-based treatment alternative is appropriate, the court may place the offender on community supervision for up to 3 years. As a condition of community treatment and supervision, the court may order the offender to: 1. Undergo available outpatient juvenile sexual offender treatment for up to 3 years. A program or provider may not be used for such treatment unless it has an appropriate program designed for sexual offender treatment. The department shall not change the treatment provider without first notifying the state attorney’s office. 2. Remain within described geographical boundaries and notify the court or the department counselor prior to any change in the offender’s address, educational program, or employment. 3. Comply with all requirements of the treatment plan. (f) The juvenile sexual offender treatment provider shall submit quarterly reports on the respondent’s progress in treatment to the court and the parties to the proceedings. The juvenile sexual offender reports shall reference the treatment plan and include, at a minimum, the following: 1. Dates of attendance. 2. The juvenile sexual offender’s compliance with the requirements of treatment. 3. A description of the treatment activities. 4. The sexual offender’s relative progress in treatment. 5. The offender’s family support of the treatment objectives. 6. Any other material specified by the court at the time of the disposition. (g) At the disposition hearing, the court may set case review hearings as the court considers appropriate. (h) If the juvenile sexual offender violates any condition of the disposition or the court finds that the juvenile sexual offender is failing to make satisfactory progress in treatment, the court may revoke the community-based treatment alternative and order commitment to the department under s. 985.441. (i) If the court determines that the juvenile sexual offender is not amenable to community-based treatment, the court shall proceed with a juvenile sexual offender disposition hearing under s. 985.441.

History: ss. 3, 39, ch. 97-238; s. 9, ch. 99-284; s. 18, ch. 2000-135; s. 14, ch. 2001-125; s. 1, ch. 2005-263; s. 57, ch. 2006-120; s. 30, ch. 2024-133.