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ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE GENERAL ORDER Effective Date: November 7, 2024  Amends - GO 12.1.1 ( June 9, 2023 ) Number: 12.1.1 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: August Reviewing Authority: SSD / Youth Services Subject: Juvenile Operations This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Definitions 4. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish the agency’s commitment to the enforcement of laws related to juveniles, to confirm that all agency employees are aware of special law enforcement requirements related to juveniles, and to confirm that agency employees are aware of and actively use programs for the pre vention and control of juvenile delinquency. 2. Policy The agency is committed to the development and implementation of programs designed to prevent and control juvenile delinquency. All employees are encouraged to support and participate in these progra ms. 3. Definitions A. Delinquent Child - a child who is found by a court to have committed a felony, misdemeanor, contempt of court, or violation of a local ordinance, whose case has not been prosecuted as an adult case. B. Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) - State agency established by the Florida Legislature to address juvenile matters. C. Dependent Child - a child who has been abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parent or legal guardian. D. Diversion - any procedure that substitutes 1) non -entry for official entry into the justice process, 2) the suspension of criminal or juvenile proceedings for continuations, 3) lesser supervision or referral to a nonjustice agency or no supervision for conventional supervision, or 4) any kind of nonconfinement status for confinement. E. Florida Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) - State agency responsible for the handling of all juvenile matters that do not fall within the purview of DJJ. 12.1.1, Page 2 of 13 F. Juvenile (Child) - any unmarried person under the age of eighteen (18) alleged to be dependent, or any married or unmarried person who is charged with a violation of law occurring before reach ing eighteen (18) years of age or who has not been emancipated by the courts. G. Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) - designated booking and intake facility for all juveniles arrested in Orange County. It is located at 823 W. Central Blvd., Orlando, Florida. H. Juvenile Court - Juvenile Court in the Juvenile Division of the 9th Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida. I. Law Enforcement Agency Direct Electronic Reporting ( LEADER ) - A web -based applicat ion that allows arresting officers to prepare Charging and Warrant Arrest Affidavits online and submit them to the ICJIS database if there was an outage with our report writing system. J. Orange County Youth Shelter – An Orange County Family Services non -secure facility serving 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as a short -term home for runaway and homeless youth between 10 – 17 years old who are ungovernable, homeless, or exhibiting high-risk behavior such as truancy or running away. The facility offers temporar y housing, crisis counseling, individual and family counseling, and links to community resources for youth and their families. K. Regular Contact – sight and sound contact. L. Truancy - failure to attend school in accordance with applicable law . M. Ungovernable Child - child who persistently disobeys the reasonable and lawful demands of his/her parents or other legal custodian and is beyond their control. This child is classified as a dependent child. 4. Procedures A. The Youth Services Section Commander shall be the Juvenile Coordinator. The Commander is responsible for confirming the agency provides specialized juvenile services and is the agency liaison to juvenile justice ag encies and groups. B. The agency will develop and maintain programs geared toward the prevention and reduction of juvenile delinquency. As a part of the agency’s juvenile strategy, the following programs have been established: 1. Explorers 2. School Res ource Officer (SRO) 3. Police Athletic League (PAL ) 4. Orange County Youth Shelter 12.1.1, Page 3 of 13 5. Mentoring, Advising, Guiding, Instructing, Children (MAGIC Elementary ) 6. Mentoring, Advising, Guiding, Instructing, Coaching (MAGIC Middle ) 7. Truancy Suppression Unit (TSU) C. In all circumstances where a juvenile is taken into custody, deputies shall use the least coercive method available in accordance with G O 8.1.3 , GO 7.1.1 , and Florida law which: 1. Is consistent with the preservation of public order. 2. Is consistent with protection of individual liberty. 3. Preserves the safety of the public and the deputy. D. Dependent Children 1. FS 39.401 authorizes deputies to take a child into custody when probable cause has been found : a. The child has been abused, neglecte d, or abandoned, or is suffering from or is in imminent danger of illness or injury as a result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. b. The parent or legal custodian of the child has materially violated a condition of placement imposed by