Certain young offenders would face commitment until age twenty-six

The court would have to order commitment to a youth rehabilitation facility for certain children. This applies to serious youthful offenders and children found responsible for first- or second-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual penetration, or child abuse causing great bodily harm or death. A child sentenced as an adult could be held in an adult facility. Commitment would begin on the date of the court’s disposition order. The term would depend on the child’s category and offense.

The court would order commitment until age twenty-six for specified serious offenses. The age-twenty-six term would cover youthful offenders found responsible for first- or second-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual penetration, or child abuse causing great bodily harm or death, and serious youthful offenders receiving juvenile sanctions. For a youthful offender found responsible for a listed serious offense, commitment until age twenty-six would be mandatory. A serious youthful offender would have to be adjudicated under the Delinquency Act and receive juvenile sanctions. These terms could only be extended under the referenced law. The commitment would run from the date of the disposition order until the child reaches age twenty-six.

A prosecutor and defense lawyer could agree to move a serious youthful offender’s case to children’s court for juvenile sanctions. This applies to a case against a serious youthful offender. Both lawyers must agree that juvenile sanctions serve justice, the young person’s welfare, and public safety. They must notify the district court and children’s court attorney; the children’s court attorney would then file a petition to begin the case there.