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Councilmember Harold Brazil
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmember Harold Brazil introduced the following
bill, which was referred to the Committee on
To establish a Juvenile Justice Task Force for the
purpose of recommending improvements in the District of Columbia's
criminal justice system as it applies to juveniles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Juvenile Justice Task
Force Establishment Act of 2003".
Sec. 2. Establishment of the Juvenile Justice Task Force.
(a) There is established the Juvenile Justice Task Force
("Task Force").
(b) The Task Force shall perform the following duties:
(1) Review and analyze laws and procedures related to the
criminal justice system in the District of Columbia and how it
pertains to persons under age 25;
(2) Make recommendations to the Council, in the form of
proposed legislation or otherwise, for enhancing public safety and
juvenile justice and educating young people to be self-supporting and
law-abiding citizens;
Sec. 3. Membership of the Task Force.
(a) The Task Force shall consist of 13 voting members and
8 non-voting members.
(1) The voting members shall consist of the following:
(a) The Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Superior
Court, or his or her delegate;
(b) The United States Attorney for the District of
Columbia, or his delegate;
c) The Chairperson of the Council of the District of
Columbia, or his or her delegate;
(d) The Director of the Public Defender Service, or his
or her delegate;
(e) The Mayor of the District of Columbia, or his
delegate;
(f) A lawyer who is a member of the District of Columbia
Bar and who is recognized as an expert in Juvenile Justice in the
District of Columbia. The Mayor may select the appointee within 30
days of the effectiveness date of this act provided that Mayor
transmits a written notification of appointment, together with a
signed statement from the appointee stating the appointee's intention to
serve, to the Chairperson of the Council within 30 days of the
effectiveness date of this act. If a either a notice of appointment or
the appointee's statement has not been transmitted to the Chairperson
of the Council within 30 days of the effectiveness date of this act,
then the Chairperson of the Council may select the appointee;
(g) A District of Columbia resident who is recognized as
an expert in the field of adolescent development and/or youth
rehabilitation. The Mayor may select this appointee within 30 days of
the effectiveness date of this act provided that Mayor transmits a
written notification of appointment, together with a signed statement
of the appointee stating the appointee's intention to serve, to the Chairperson of the Council within 30 days of the effectiveness date of
this act. If no appointment has been made by the Mayor within 30 days
of the effectiveness date of this act, then the Chairperson of the
Council may select the appointee;
(h) The Chairperson of the Council's Committee on the
Judiciary during years the 2001 through 2003, or his or her
delegate;
(i) Chairperson of the Council's Committee on the
Judiciary during years the 1999 and 2001, or his or her delegate;
(j) The Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, or
his or her delegate; and,
(k) A citizen member who is a resident of the District of
Columbia. The Mayor may select the citizen-appointee within 30 days
of the effectiveness date of this act provided that Mayor transmits a
written notification of appointment, together with a signed statement
by the appointee stating his or her intention to serve, to the
Chairperson of the Council within 30 days of the effectiveness date of this act. If either a notice of appointment or the appointee's statement
has not been transmitted to the Chairperson of the Council within 30
days of the effectiveness date of this act, then the Chairperson of
the Council may select the appointee;
(l) The Office of Corporation Counsel, or his or her
delegate; and,
(m) A representative of a not-for-profit organization,
whether a social services agency or research organization, that is
recognized as having expertise in the field of child development
and/or child behavior. The Chairperson of the Council select the
organization.
(2) The non-voting members shall consist of the
following:
(a) The President of the District of Columbia Bar, or his
or her delegate;
(b) The President of the Bar Association of the District
of Columbia, or his or her delegate;
(c) The Director of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections, or his or her delegate;
(d) The Director of the Youth Services Administration, or
his or her delegate;
(e) The Chairperson of the District of Columbia Board of
Education or his or her delegate;
(f) The Chief Financial Officer, or his or her delegate.
(3) Members of the Task Force shall serve without
compensation.
(4) The members of the Task Force shall elect a
Chairperson from among their members.
Sec. 4. Meetings and hearings.
(a) The Task Force shall meet as necessary to conduct its
official business.
(b) A majority of the voting members shall constitute a
quorum.
(c) The Task Force may act by an affirmative vote of at
least 7 of its voting members.
(d) The Task Force may conduct hearings, receive
testimony, and call witnesses to assist the Task Force in the exercise of its
powers and duties;
(e) The Chairperson of the Task Force is authorized to
administer an oath to witnesses. The Task Force may conduct hearings
or meetings in camera if, at the discretion of the Chairperson of
the Task Force, it is appropriate and necessary to do so either for
the purpose of protecting the confidentiality of young people or for the purpose of protecting the security of law enforcement
personnel;
(f) The Mayor shall assist the Task Force and its
Chairperson in the performance of the Task Force's powers and duties.
Sec. 5. Report of the Task Force.
(a) No later than April 1, 2003, the task Force shall
issue a report to the Council stating its recommendations for
reforming the Juvenile Justice system in the District of Columbia.
(b) The report shall state if any legislation should be
enacted to improve the juvenile justice system in the District of
Columbia. In the event that the Task Force recommends legislative
changes, the report should estimate the cost of the proposed
legislation.
(b) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.
Sec. 6. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the
committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section
602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-233 16 (c)(3)).
Sec. 7. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following approval by the
Mayor (or in the event of a veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override
the veto), and a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in
section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206(c)(1)),
and publication in the District of Columbia Register.
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