The bill S. 16 aims to amend several sections of the South Carolina Code of Laws concerning the treatment of status offenders, particularly focusing on the juvenile justice system. Key changes include the elimination of the exception that allows children to be tried as adults, a reduction in the maximum time a child can be held in a juvenile detention facility for a status offense from 72 hours to 48 hours, and a requirement for families to seek counseling for issues of incorrigibility before legal proceedings can be initiated. Additionally, the bill distinguishes between status offenses and criminal offenses, modifies court order requirements, and mandates automatic expungement of official records for status offenses under certain conditions.

Further amendments include provisions for community evaluations before committing a child to the Department of Juvenile Justice, and clarifications on the release and revocation processes for juveniles. The bill also stipulates that expungement orders for status offenses must be granted automatically once the individual reaches 18 years of age and has completed any imposed sentences, provided they have no subsequent delinquency or criminal convictions. Overall, the bill seeks to reform the juvenile justice system by emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment for status offenses.

Statutes affected:
12/11/2024: 63-19-820, 63-19-1020, 63-19-1440, 63-19-1810, 63-19-2050
Latest Version: 63-19-820, 63-19-1020, 63-19-1440, 63-19-1810, 63-19-2050