§2755. Powers and duties
A. The commission shall make, or cause to be made, all such studies, reviews, or
analysis which it finds necessary to effect its purpose.
B. The commission in its consideration of the recommendations of the Juvenile
Justice Reform Act of 2003 and House Concurrent Resolution No. 56 or Senate Concurrent
Resolution No. 31, or both, of the 2003 Regular Session of the Legislature, and in the
consideration of recommendation of other juvenile justice reform measures shall address
such issues as:
(1) The creation of a single state entity for providing services to children and their
families, as more fully set forth in R.S. 46:2757.
(2) The closure of Swanson Correctional Center for Youth-Madison Parish Unit as
a facility for juveniles, as more fully set forth in R.S. 15:902.2, and the development of a
comprehensive plan to reduce the over reliance on secure incarceration and provide
community-based services including a time schedule for statewide implementation for the
plan.
(3) The closure of Jetson Center for Youth-East Baton Rouge Parish Unit as a facility
for juveniles, as set forth in R.S. 15:902.4, and the development of a comprehensive plan to
reduce the over-reliance on secure incarceration and provide community-based services
including a time schedule for statewide implementation for the plan.
(4) The priorities of state entities funding children and family services by:
(a) Receiving reports of the allocations and expenditures of all federal and state
juvenile grant funds earmarked for law enforcement, treatment, rehabilitation, and education.
(b) Evaluating how juvenile monies, both state and federal, are utilized in
implementing juvenile delinquency prevention programs by state and local agencies.
(c) Identifying and evaluating the effectiveness of state and local public awareness
and delinquency prevention programs in both the public and private sectors to develop a
series of recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such programs.
(d) Evaluating specific problem areas relating to the enforcement of laws concerning
juvenile delinquency and making recommendations to improve the impact of those laws
through legislative refinement or executive order.
(e) Assessing the roles and interaction of federal, state, and local law enforcement
agencies and entities in combating juvenile delinquency to make recommendations for
improving their effectiveness.
(5) The well-being of youth in the juvenile justice system during a public health
emergency and House Concurrent Resolution No. 47 of the 2020 Regular Session of the
Legislature.
C. The commission may also:
(1) Review and comment on the progress reports submitted to it by the Children's
Cabinet and its affiliated boards.
(2) Review and comment on various proposals for the annual children's budget
before completion and submission of the budget to the appropriate standing committees of
the legislature by the Children's Cabinet.
(3) Make recommendations for improving juvenile justice through proposed
legislation, resolutions, or other expressions of legislative intent.
(4) Monitor and advocate for juvenile justice legislation and other actions relating
to the reform of juvenile justice and the restructuring of the delivery of services to children
and their families.
(5) Take any other action it deems appropriate relating to the restructuring or
rendering, or both, of juvenile services.
(6) Hire staff and other necessary personnel as may be necessary to carry out the
functions of the commission.
Acts 2003, No. 1225, §5; Acts 2008, No. 565, §7; Acts 2020, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 28,
§1, eff. Oct. 28, 2020.