West Virginia Code 49-2-901 – Policy; cooperation
(a) It is the policy of the state to:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 49-2-901
- Adult: means a person who is at least eighteen years of age. See West Virginia Code 49-1-202
- child: means an individual who meets one of the following conditions:
(A) Is under thirteen years of age. See West Virginia Code 49-1-202
- Court: means the circuit court of the county with jurisdiction of the case or the judge in vacation unless otherwise specifically provided. See West Virginia Code 49-1-207
- Juvenile: means any person under eighteen years of age or is a transitioning adult. See West Virginia Code 49-1-202
- Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(1) Provide a coordinated continuum of care for its children who have been charged with an offense which would be a crime if committed by an adult, whether they are taken into custody and securely detained or released pending adjudication by the court; and
(2) Ensure the safe and efficient custody of a securely detained child through the entire juvenile justice process, and this can best be accomplished by the state by providing for cooperation and coordination between the agencies of government which are charged with responsibilities for the children of the state.
(b) When any juvenile is ordered by the court to be transferred from the custody of one of these agencies into the custody of the other, the Department of Health and Human Resources and the Division of Juvenile Services shall cooperate with each other to the maximum extent necessary in order to ease the child's transition and to reduce unnecessary cost, duplication and delay.