When a child is arrested and taken into custody by law enforcement, where are they taken; can they post bond; what happens next?
A. When a Minor Child is taken into custody the child is brought to a Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC), the child’s parents or guardians are notified and the child is assessed by the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to determine whether the child should be released or held over for a Detention Hearing. The DJJ staff member will complete a Risk Assessment Instrument (RAI). The RAI will assign points for the severity of the alleged incident, prior history and so forth. The number of points will determine whether a child is released or sent to the Juvenile Detention Center where they will remain until they appear before a judge within 24 hours. There is no bond in Juvenile Court. At a Detention Hearing a judge will determine whether probable cause exists for the alleged charges, whether the child understands the nature of the allegations and whether the child qualifies for some form of pre-trial release. Under Florida law a child may be held in pre-trial Secure or Non-Secure Detention
