Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2015

To amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to eliminate the use of valid court orders to secure lockup of status offenders, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2015 2. Deinstitutionalization of status offenders Section 223 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C. 5633 (1) in subsection (a)(11)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking shall, (B) in subparagraph (A)— (i) in clause (i), by adding and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking and (iii) by striking clause (iii); and (iv) in the matter following clause (iii), by striking and (C) by adding at the end the following: (C) if a court determines that a juvenile should be placed in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility for violating an order described in subparagraph (A)(ii)— (i) the court shall issue a written order that— (I) identifies the valid court order that the juvenile has violated; (II) specifies the factual basis for determining that there is reasonable cause to believe that the juvenile has violated the order; (III) includes findings of fact to support a determination that there is no appropriate less restrictive alternative available to placing the juvenile in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility, with due consideration to the best interest of the juvenile; (IV) specifies the length of time, not to exceed 3 days, that the juvenile may remain in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility; (V) includes a plan for the release of the juvenile from the secure detention facility or secure correctional facility; and (VI) may not be renewed or extended; and (ii) the court may not issue a subsequent order described in clause (i) relating to a juvenile, unless the juvenile violates a valid court order after the date on which the court issues an order described in clause (i); (D) there are procedures in place to ensure that a juvenile held in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility pursuant to a court order described in subparagraph (C)(i) does not remain in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility longer than 3 days (with the exception of weekends and holidays) or the length of time authorized by the court, or authorized under applicable State law, whichever is shorter; and (E) a juvenile status offender held in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility pursuant to a court order described in subparagraph (C)(i) may only be held in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility 1 time in any 6-month period, provided that the conditions set forth in subparagraph (C) are satisfied. ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (g) Additional requirement Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, no State receiving a formula grant under this part may use a valid court order described in subsection (a)(11)(A)(ii) to place a juvenile status offender in a secure detention facility or secure correctional facility. A State that can demonstrate hardship as determined by the Administrator may submit to the Administrator an application for a single 1-year extension to comply with the requirement described in this subsection, which shall describe— (1) the measurable progress and good faith effort in the State to reduce the number of juvenile status offenders who are placed in a secure detention facility or correctional facility pursuant to a court order described in subsection (a)(11)(A)(ii); and (2) a plan to comply with the requirement described in this subsection not later than 1 year after the date the extension is granted. .

Summary: Prohibiting Detention of Youth Status Offenders Act of 2015 Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, with respect to the detention of a juvenile status offender (a juvenile arrested for an offense that would not be a crime if committed by an adult) who violates a valid court order, to require the court placing such juvenile in detention to issue a written order that: (1) identifies the valid court order that the juvenile has violated; (2) specifies the factual basis for determining that there is reasonable cause to believe that the juvenile has violated such order; (3) includes findings of fact to support a determination that there is no appropriate less restrictive alternative available to placing the juvenile in a secure detention or correctional facility, with due consideration to the best interest of the juvenile; (4) specifies the length of time, not to exceed three days, that the juvenile may remain in such facility and includes a plan for the juvenile's release; and (5) may not be renewed or extended. Requires that procedures be put in place to ensure that a juvenile held in a secure detention or correctional facility does not remain in such facility longer than three days or the length of time authorized by the court, or authorized under state law, whichever is shorter. Prohibits the detention of a juvenile more than once in any six-month period. Prohibits, one year after the enactment of this Act, a state that receives a formula grant under the juvenile justice and delinquency prevention program from using a valid court order to place a juvenile status offender in a secure detention or correctional facility. Allows a state that demonstrates hardship to apply for a single one-year extension of time to comply with the requirement to eliminate such use of court orders.