Kan. Stat. Ann. § 38-2369
Sentencing juvenile offenders; placement matrix; placements based on offense committed; aftercare term
Effective Jul 1, 2014L. 2006, ch. 169, § 69; L. 2012, ch. 33, § 1; L. 2012, ch. 150, § 47; L. 2014, ch. 126, § 8; July 1.
(a) For the purpose of committing juvenile offenders to a juvenile correctional facility, the following placements shall be applied by the judge in felony or misdemeanor cases. If used, the court shall establish a specific term of commitment as specified in this subsection, unless the judge conducts a departure hearing and finds substantial and compelling reasons to impose a departure sentence as provided in K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2371, and amendments thereto.
- (1) Violent Offenders. (A) The violent offender I is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute an off-grid felony. Offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of 60 months and up to a maximum term of the offender reaching the age of 22 years, six months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of the offender reaching the age of 23 years.
- (B) The violent offender II is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a nondrug severity level 1, 2 or 3 felony. Offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of 24 months and up to a maximum term of the offender reaching the age 22 years, six months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of the offender reaching the age of 23 years.
(2) Serious Offenders. (A) The serious offender I is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense:
- (i) Which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a nondrug severity level 4, 5 or 6 person felony;
- (ii) committed prior to July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult prior to July 1, 2012, would constitute a drug severity level 1 or 2 felony; or
(iii) committed on or after July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult on or after July 1, 2012, would constitute a drug severity level 1, 2 or 3 felony.
Offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of 18 months and up to a maximum term of 36 months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 24 months.
- (B) The serious offender II is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a nondrug severity level 7, person felony with one prior felony adjudication. Offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of nine months and up to a maximum term of 18 months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 24 months.
- (C) The serious offender III is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a nondrug severity level 8, 9 or 10 person felony with one prior felony adjudication. Offenders in this category may only be committed to a juvenile correctional facility if the judge conducts a departure hearing and finds substantial and compelling reasons to impose a departure sentence as provided in K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2371, and amendments thereto. If a departure sentence is imposed, offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of nine months and up to a maximum term of 18 months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 24 months.
(3) Chronic Offenders. (A) The chronic offender I, chronic felon is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense:
- (i) Which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present nonperson felony adjudication and two prior felony adjudications;
- (ii) committed prior to July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult prior to July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 3 felony adjudication and two prior felony adjudications; or
(iii) committed on or after July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult on or after July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 4 felony adjudication and two prior felony adjudications.
Offenders in this category may only be committed to a juvenile correctional facility if the judge conducts a departure hearing and finds substantial and compelling reasons to impose a departure sentence as provided in K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2371, and amendments thereto. If a departure sentence is imposed, offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 18 months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 12 months.
(B) The chronic offender II, escalating felon is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense:
- (i) Which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present felony adjudication and either two prior misdemeanor adjudications or one prior person or nonperson felony adjudication;
- (ii) which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present felony adjudication and two prior drug severity level 4 or 5 adjudications;
- (iii) committed prior to July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult prior to July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 3 felony adjudication and either two prior misdemeanor adjudications or one prior person or nonperson felony adjudication;
- (iv) committed prior to July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult prior to July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 3 felony adjudication and two prior drug severity level 4 or 5 adjudications;
- (v) committed on or after July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult on or after July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 4 felony adjudication and either two prior misdemeanor adjudications or one prior person or nonperson felony adjudication; or
(vi) committed on or after July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult on or after July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 4 felony adjudication and two prior drug severity level 4 or 5 adjudications.
Offenders in this category may only be committed to a juvenile correctional facility if the judge conducts a departure hearing and finds substantial and compelling reasons to impose a departure sentence as provided in K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2371, and amendments thereto. If a departure sentence is imposed, offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 18 months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of six months and up to a maximum term of 12 months.
(C) The chronic offender III, escalating misdemeanant is defined as an offender adjudicated as a juvenile offender for an offense:
- (i) Which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present misdemeanor adjudication and either two prior misdemeanor adjudications or one prior person or nonperson felony adjudication and two placement failures;
- (ii) which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present misdemeanor adjudication and two prior drug severity level 4 or 5 felony adjudications and two placement failures;
- (iii) Which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present drug severity level 4 felony adjudication and either two prior misdemeanor adjudications or one prior person or nonperson felony adjudication and two placement failures;
- (iv) which, if committed by an adult, would constitute one present drug severity level 4 felony adjudication and two prior drug severity level 4 or 5 felony adjudications and two placement failures;
- (v) committed on or after July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult on or after July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 5 felony adjudication and either two prior misdemeanor adjudications or one prior person or nonperson felony adjudication and two placement failures; or
(vi) committed on or after July 1, 2012, which, if committed by an adult on or after July 1, 2012, would constitute one present drug severity level 5 felony adjudication and two prior drug severity level 4 or 5 adjudications and two placement failures.
Offenders in this category may only be committed to a juvenile correctional facility if the judge conducts a departure hearing and finds substantial and compelling reasons to impose a departure sentence as provided in K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2371, and amendments thereto. If a departure sentence is imposed, offenders in this category may be committed to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of three months and up to a maximum term of six months. The aftercare term for this offender is set at a minimum term of three months and up to a maximum term of six months.
(4) Conditional Release Violators. Upon finding the juvenile violated a requirement or requirements of conditional release, the court may:
- (A) Subject to the limitations in subsection (a) of K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2366, and amendments thereto, commit the offender directly to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum term of three months and up to a maximum term of six months. The aftercare term for this offender shall be a minimum of two months and a maximum of six months, or the length of the aftercare originally ordered, whichever is longer.
(B) Enter one or more of the following orders:
- (i) Recommend additional conditions be added to those of the existing conditional release.
- (ii) Order the offender to serve a period of sanctions pursuant to subsection (f) of K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2361, and amendments thereto.
- (iii) Revoke or restrict the juvenile's driving privileges as described in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 2014 Supp. 38-2361, and amendments thereto.
- (C) Discharge the offender from the custody of the commissioner, release the commissioner from further responsibilities in the case and enter any other appropriate orders.
(b) As used in this section:
- (1) "Placement failure" means a juvenile offender in the custody of the juvenile justice authority has significantly failed the terms of conditional release or has been placed out-of-home in a community placement accredited by the commissioner and has significantly violated the terms of that placement or violated the terms of probation.
- (2) "Adjudication" includes out-of-state juvenile adjudications. An out-of-state offense, which if committed by an adult would constitute the commission of a felony or misdemeanor, shall be classified as either a felony or a misdemeanor according to the adjudicating jurisdiction. If an offense which if committed by an adult would constitute the commission of a felony is a felony in another state, it will be deemed a felony in Kansas. The state of Kansas shall classify the offense, which if committed by an adult would constitute the commission of a felony or misdemeanor, as person or nonperson. In designating such offense as person or nonperson, reference to comparable offenses shall be made. If the state of Kansas does not have a comparable offense, the out-of-state adjudication shall be classified as a nonperson offense.
- (c) All appropriate community placement options shall have been exhausted before a chronic offender III, escalating misdemeanant shall be placed in a juvenile correctional facility. A court finding shall be made acknowledging that appropriate community placement options have been pursued and no such option is appropriate.
- (d) The commissioner shall work with the community to provide on-going support and incentives for the development of additional community placements to ensure that the chronic offender III, escalating misdemeanant sentencing category is not frequently utilized.
- (e) Any juvenile offender committed to a juvenile correctional facility who is adjudicated for an offense committed while such juvenile was committed to a juvenile correctional facility, may be adjudicated to serve a consecutive term of commitment in a juvenile correctional facility.
L. 2006, ch. 169, § 69; L. 2012, ch. 33, § 1; L. 2012, ch. 150, § 47; L. 2014, ch. 126, § 8; July 1.