§ 6-311 Detention Operations

A. Definitions. In this section the following definitions apply. “Administrative director” means the administrative director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and the director’s designee. “Detention operations standard” means a requirement that is essential to ensuring the welfare, health, safety and security of the juvenile, personnel and the public, in conformance with constitutional, statutory, court rule and Arizona code of judicial administration mandates; with which a juvenile detention center must conform to achieve compliance. “Secure care” means “confinement in a facility that is completely surrounded by a locked and physically secure barrier with restricted ingress and egress” as provided in A.R.S. § 8-201(32). “Detention” means “… the temporary confinement of a juvenile who requires secure care in a physically restricting facility that is completely surrounded by a locked and physically secure barrier with restricted ingress and egress for the protection of the juvenile or the community pending court disposition or as a condition of probation” as provided in A.R.S. § 8-201(16).

B. Applicability.

1. The presiding judge of the juvenile court in each county shall implement the detention operation standards in supervision of the detention center as provided in A.R.S. § 8-306 (A).

2. General Purpose.

a. The juvenile detention standards represent the minimum requirements that shall be in place for the delivery of secure care services within a juvenile detention center.

b. The standards shall serve as the basis for developing and establishing policy and procedure for each juvenile detention center.

C. Administration: Standards for Juvenile Detention Centers. The administrative director is authorized to adopt by administrative directive detention operation standards and any amendments to the standards after review and recommendation by the juvenile court directors and the Committee on Juvenile Courts (COJC).

D. Review of juvenile detention standards.

1. The administrative director shall establish a detention operations standards advisory committee. The committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the administrative director. The committee shall meet as needed to advise the administrative director concerning changes in the detention operations standards. The majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.

2. Members of the committee shall include at least one juvenile presiding judge, one juvenile court director, one juvenile detention administrator and the juvenile justice services division director or his designee. Membership terms are for two years and a member may serve no more than three consecutive terms.

3. The juvenile justice services division director or his designee shall serve as chair and the committee shall be staffed by the administrative office of the courts, juvenile justice services division.

4. The detention operations standards advisory committee shall issue a written report concerning any changes in detention operation standards it recommends which shall include:

a. A brief explanation of the committee’s recommendations.

b. The recommended new standards or changes in existing standards.

5. The committee shall provide copies of the report to each juvenile court director for review and consideration at a juvenile court administrators meeting and to the COJC with juvenile court administrator recommendations.

6. The COJC shall forward the report and all recommendations received and made by the COJC to the administrative director for consideration and action.

E. Quality Assurance.

1. AOC shall conduct an operational review of each juvenile detention center at least once every three years to determine compliance with detention standards.

2. Following completion of the operational review process, AOC shall provide a draft report to the juvenile presiding judge and juvenile court director. The juvenile court shall provide a response within 30 business days from the date of the AOC draft report.

3. AOC shall complete the final report within 60 days after the juvenile court’s response to the draft report.

4. AOC shall provide the standards to Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections for use in their semi-annual inspection as required by A.R.S. § 8-306. Adopted by Administrative Order 2009-47 effective July 1, 2009. Amended by Administrative Order 2023-166 effective November 1, 2023.