Opinion ID: 173190
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: overview of oklahoma law

Text: A juvenile (one under the age of 18) alleged to have committed a crime in Oklahoma can be held accountable as (1) a child, (2) a youthful offender or (3) an adult. If the juvenile is to be treated as a child, the case proceeds in the juvenile division of the district court. See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, §§ 7301-1.3(4), 7303-4.3(A) (2000).1 If the court finds the allegations against the juvenile to be supported by the evidence, it enters an order of adjudication declaring the juvenile delinquent. Id. § 7303-4.6(A). An adjudicated delinquent shall not “be deemed a criminal” nor is he subject to the civil disabilities which normally follow a criminal conviction. Id. § 7307-1.7(A). Some juveniles are required to be treated as youthful offenders due to their age and criminal conduct.2 See id. § 7306-2.6(A), (B). If so treated, the case proceeds in the 1 For this discussion only, we cite to the 2000 version of the Oklahoma Code which was in effect when Triplet pled guilty to robbery with a firearm, even though his attempted escape conviction did not occur until 2002. The differences between the 2000 and 2002 versions are insignificant for our purposes. Our remaining discussion will refer to the version in effect at the time of the relevant offense, see Bowman v. State, 789 P.2d 631, 631 (Okla. Crim. App. 1990) (“It is a well established rule of law that the appropriate criminal penalty is the penalty in effect at the time the defendant commits the crime.”), or the relevant procedure. See Salazar v. State, 852 P.2d 729, 737-38 (Okla. Crim. App. 1993). 2 Oklahoma adopted its Youthful Offender Act on January 1, 1998, “to better ensure the public safety by holding youths accountable for the commission of serious crimes, while affording courts methods of rehabilitation for those youths the courts determine . . . may be amenable to such methods” and “to allow those youthful offenders whom the courts find to be amenable to rehabilitation . . . to be placed in the custody or under the supervision of the Office of Juvenile Affairs for the purpose of accessing the rehabilitative programs provided by that Office and thereby, upon good conduct and successful completion of such programs, avoid conviction for a crime.” See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, § 7306-2.2(B) (2000); see also G.G. v. State, 989 P.2d 936, 937-38 (Okla. Crim. App. 1999). criminal division of the district court (adult court) and the juvenile is treated in much the same manner as that of an adult. Id. § 7306-2.4(A)-(C); see also In re M.B., 145 P.3d 1040, 1047 (Okla. 2006) (“All the rights, protections, and procedures surrounding a criminal trial are in place in a trial of a youthful offender.”). Upon a finding or admission of guilt, the juvenile is sentenced as a youthful offender in the “manner provided by law for an adult for punishment of the offense committed” but the sentence may not exceed ten years. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit.10, § 7306-2.9(B); see also In re M.B., 145 P.3d at 1047. However, unlike an adult who is sentenced to the county jail or to the custody or supervision of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC), a juvenile tried and convicted as a youthful offender will generally be sentenced to the custody (juvenile facility) or supervision (probation) of the Office of Juvenile Affairs. See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, §§ 7306-2.6(F), 7306-2.9(A), (B), 7306-2.10(A), (B); Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 991a(A). The Office of Juvenile Affairs must prepare a rehabilitation plan for the juvenile providing (1) the juvenile facility where the juvenile will be placed (if applicable), (2) the objectives the juvenile is expected to achieve and (3) the services the juvenile will be provided to assist him in achieving those objectives. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, § 7306-2.10(A). The court will review the juvenile’s compliance with his rehabilitation plan at least semi-annually. Id. § 7306-2.10(B). If, upon a hearing, the court decides the juvenile has reasonably complied with his rehabilitation plan and the public’s safety will not be jeopardized, the court may discharge the juvenile without a judgment of guilt and order -3- the verdict or plea expunged. Id. § 7306-2.10(F)(1).3 If, on the other hand, the court determines the juvenile has (1) seriously injured or endangered another person by his violent behavior, (2) escaped from a training school, (3) committed a felony while in the custody or under the supervision of the Office of Juvenile Affairs or (4) failed to substantially comply with his written rehabilitation plan, the court may enter a judgment of guilt and transfer the juvenile to the county jail or to the custody and supervision of the ODOC. Id. § 7306-2.10(F)(5); see also Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 991a(A). In general, once a juvenile is prosecuted and sentenced as a youthful offender, he will continue to be prosecuted as a youthful offender in all subsequent criminal proceedings until he reaches eighteen. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, § 7306-2.4(G). Prior to reaching eighteen, he will only be treated as an adult in subsequent matters if (1) the court had previously determined, after a hearing and investigation, he should receive an adult sentence because he would not reasonably comply with a rehabilitation plan or the public would not be adequately protected if he were to receive a youthful offender sentence or (2) the court certifies him to stand trial as an adult. Id. §§ 7306-2.4(F), 7306- 2.8(A)-(E). A juvenile may, and sometimes must, be tried as an adult. A juvenile may be certified to stand trial as an adult by the court after it considers determining factors such 3 The statutes sometimes refer to the Department of Juvenile Justice, which is the branch of the Office of Juvenile Affairs responsible for the programs and services provided to juveniles alleged or adjudicated delinquent. See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, § 7302-2.2(A)(1) (2000). To avoid confusion, we refer only to the Office of Juvenile Affairs. -4- as the seriousness of the offense, whether the offense was committed against persons or property, the juvenile’s sophistication and maturity, his previous record and the likelihood of reasonable rehabilitation of the juvenile in the juvenile system. Id. § 7303- 4.3(B). Juveniles over thirteen years old accused of certain serious crimes are required by statute to be tried as adults. Id. § 7306-1.1(A), (B). If the juvenile is to be treated as an adult, the case proceeds as a criminal action in the district court (adult court) and if convicted, the juvenile may be sentenced to the county jail or the custody or supervision of the ODOC. See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 991a(A).