Source: https://ribit.rofreg.com/legislations/429
Timestamp: 2020-02-24 23:04:22
Document Index: 443095652

Matched Legal Cases: ['§8', '§8', '§ 12', '§ 12', '§12', '§ 12', '§12', '§12', '§ 12', '§12']

House Bill #5064 (2017)
AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - COURTS - SUPERIOR COURT DIVERSION
Allows creation of superior court diversion program for substance abusers or persons with mental health issues charged with certain criminal offenses.
2017 – H 5064
2017 – H 5064 SUBSTITUTE A
LC000223
LC000223/SUB A
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - COURTS - SUPERIOR COURT
Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Knight, McEntee, Casimiro, and Keable
SECTION 1. Chapter 8-2 of the General Laws entitled "Superior Court" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
In accordance with §8-6-2, the superior court may create, with the approval of the supreme court, rules for a superior court diversion program. The presiding justice may assign a justice or magistrate to administer the diversion program, in which the defendant enters a plea to the pending matter and agrees to written contractual conditions of diversion with the justice or magistrate, including reporting to the court as instructed for reviews, for a defined period of time. Contractual conditions may include, but are not limited to, compliance with counseling, community service, and restitution obligations.
In accordance with §8-6-2, the superior court may create, with the approval of the supreme court, rules for a superior court diversion program. The presiding justice may assign a justice or magistrate to administer the diversion program, in which the defendant enters a plea to the pending matter and agrees to written contractual conditions of diversion with the justice or magistrate, including reporting to the court as instructed for reviews, until such time as the defendant has completed the diversion program to the court's satisfaction and all reviews are completed. Contractual conditions may include, but are not limited to, compliance with counseling, community service, and restitution obligations.
SECTION 2. Section 12-7-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-7 entitled "Arrest" is hereby amended to read as follows:
12-7-12. Release of arrested person by officer in charge of police station. Release of arrested person by officer.
(a) The officer in charge of any police station may shall consider the release of any person in his or her station who has been arrested without a warrant:
SECTION 3. Section 12-10-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-10 entitled "Preliminary Proceedings in District Courts" is hereby amended to read as follows:
12-10-12. Filing of complaints.
(a) Subject to any other provisions of law relative to the filing of complaints for particular crimes, any judge of the district court or superior court may place on file any complaint in a criminal case other than a complaint for the commission of a felony or a complaint against a person who has been convicted of a felony or a private complaint. The court may in its discretion require, as a condition of the filing, the performance of services for the public good or may attach any other conditions to it that the court shall determine; provided, in cases where the court has ordered restitution totals less than two hundred dollars ($200) to an injured party pursuant to this section or § 12-19-34, the court shall require that full restitution be made at the time of sentencing if the court determines that the defendant has the present ability to make the full restitution.
(b) Express conditions of any filing in accordance with this section shall be that the defendant at all times during the one year keep the peace and be of good behavior and shall have paid all outstanding court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs, assessments, charges, and/or any other monetary obligations unless reduced or waived by order of the court. A violation of these express conditions, or any other condition set by the court, shall may be deemed a violation of the filing and the matter that was filed may be resurrected by the court, or the court may impose a sanction. A determination of whether a violation has occurred shall be made by the court in accordance with the procedures relating to a violation of probation, §§ 12-19-9 and 12- 19-14 §12-19-9.
(b) Express conditions of any filing in accordance with this section shall be that the defendant at all times during the one year keep the peace and be of good behavior and shall have paid all outstanding court-imposed or court-related fees, fines, costs, assessments, charges, and/or any other monetary obligations unless reduced or waived by order of the court. A violation of these express conditions, or any other condition set by the court, shall may be deemed a violation of the filing and the matter that was filed may be resurrected by the court, or the court may impose a sanction. A determination of whether a violation has occurred shall be made by the court in accordance with the procedures relating to a violation of probation, §§ 12-19-9 and 12- 19-14.
SECTION 4. Sections 12-13-24 and 12-13-24.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-13 entitled "Bail and Recognizance" are hereby amended to read as follows:
12-13-24. Confidentiality of pretrial services program records.
(a) Information supplied by a defendant to a representative of the pretrial services program during the defendant's initial interview or subsequent contacts, or information obtained by the pretrial services program as a result of the interview or subsequent contacts, shall be deemed confidential and shall not be subject to subpoena or to disclosure without the written consent of the defendant except in the following circumstances:
(1) Information relevant to the imposition of conditions of release shall be presented to the court on a standardized form when the court is considering what conditions of release to impose;
(2) Information furnished by the defendant to the pretrial services program and recorded on a completed interview form shall be furnished to law enforcement officials upon request only if the defendant fails to appear in court when required, after notice to the defendant or the defendant's attorney of record;
(3) Information concerning compliance with any conditions of release imposed by the court shall be furnished to the court upon its request for consideration or modification of conditions of release or of sentencing or of probation;
(4) Information relevant to sentencing or probation shall be furnished to the court upon its request for consideration in imposing sentence or probation;
(5) At its discretion, the court may permit the probation officer, for the purpose of preparing the presentence investigation report, and the defense attorney to inspect the completed interview form; and
(6) In felony cases, completed pre-arraignment reports shall be provided to the superior court; and
(6)(7) Any person conducting an evaluation of the pretrial release program may have access to all completed interview forms upon order from the supreme court.
(b) At the beginning of the defendant's initial interview with a representative of the pretrial services program, the defendant shall be advised of the above uses of information supplied by him or her or obtained as a result of information supplied by him or her.
12-13-24.1. Pre-trial services unit.
(a) Creation of unit; definitions. - There is created within the district court a pre-trial services unit to provide pre-arraignment and post-arraignment services to defendants. These services shall include, but not be limited to: bail information and screening,
(iii) For a defendant charged with a domestic violence offense under §12-29-2, and who has prior domestic violence offenses or other indications of risk, a lethality or dangerousness assessment.
(2) "Post-arraignment service" includes completion of the pre-arraignment report, a post- arraignment report, if necessary, and monitoring of defendants released on conditions that are informed by the pre-arraignment report, bail including substance abuse treatment referrals and testing, referrals to the home confinement program, employment referrals, and any other referrals that may be necessary to carry out the intent of this section.
(3) "Risk screen" means a validated, empirically-based pretrial risk tool composed of a brief set of questions that may be answered without interviewing the defendant and are designed to predict failure to appear and risk to re-offend.
(b) Bail evaluation Pre-arraignment report. - Whenever any person shall be taken into custody by any peace officer for the purpose of bringing that person before a court for arraignment or any other proceeding which may result in that person being detained pending a final adjudication of the charge, if the person is charged with a felony, or a misdemeanor domestic violence offense under §12-29-2 and has prior domestic violence offenses or other indications of risk, the pretrial services unit shall, time permitting, prepare, a judicial officer may cause to be conducted a pre-arraignment report and any or post-arraignment screening of the accused deemed necessary by the court or the pretrial services unit, and shall obtain any relevant information, records and documents that may be useful to the judicial officer in determining the form and type of recognizance and conditions placed on the defendant.
(c) Delivery of report. - The pre-arraignment report of the pre-arraignment or and any post-arraignment screening shall be immediately delivered to the judicial officer before whom the accused shall be brought for the purpose of determining the form and conditions of recognizance and shall contain the information set forth in subsection (d) of this section.
(d) Form of report. - The report of the pre-arraignment or post-arraignment screening shall contain the following information regarding the accused:
(3) Marital status;
(4) Names and addresses of dependents;
(6) Present employment including place of employment, position held and length of employment;
(7) Whether or not the accused is under the care of a licensed physician or on any medication prescribed by a licensed physician;
(9) Prior criminal record;
(10) Prior court appearances;
(11) Ties to the community; and
(12) Any other information that may be required to make a determination on the amount and conditions of recognizance or bail.
(e) Confidentiality of communications. - The accused shall be advised orally and in a written waiver form for the signature of the accused, that he or she has the right to remain silent and may voluntarily decline to respond to any or all questions that may be put by representatives of the pre-trial services unit. Communications between the accused and representatives of the pre- trial services unit shall be considered confidential pursuant to § 12-13-24.
SECTION 5. Section 1 of this act shall take effect upon issuance of applicable rules by the supreme court. Section 4 of this act shall take effect on January 1, 2018. The remaining sections of this act shall take effect upon passage and shall be applicable to all cases pending as of the effective date.
This act would allow the presiding justice of the superior court, with the approval of the supreme court, to create a superior court diversion program. The program would allow the court to administer rules whereby defendants would participate in substance abuse screening, community service, counseling and any other reasonable conditions, and upon the completion of which, charge(s) would be dismissed and the records and indices of arrest expunged. It would also require restitution be paid in full, if the defendant has the ability to pay, upon filing a complaint pursuant to §12-10-12. This act would further require an officer in charge to consider releasing a person who has been arrested for a misdemeanor conditioned on a summons to appear and would permit an officer to release a suspect with serious mental health issues and refer them to the nearest inpatient or outpatient facility. This act would also alter the pretrial services unit by requiring risk assessments and require additional risk screens for those with a high risk of re- offending or those with past crimes of domestic violence.
Section 1 of this act would take effect upon issuance of applicable rules by the supreme court. Section 4 of this act would take effect on January 1, 2018. The remaining sections of this act would take effect upon passage and would be applicable to all cases pending as of the effective date.
September 19, 2017 at 2:53pm
September 19, 2017 at 9:55pm