Sec. 1. (a) Subject to section 6.5 of this chapter, if a child is a delinquent child under IC 31-37-2, the juvenile court may enter one (1) or more of the following dispositional decrees:

(1) Order supervision of the child by the probation department.

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 31-37-19-1

  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • juvenile: as used in this article means any person who is a minor under the law of the state of residence of the parent, guardian, person or agency entitled to the legal custody of such minor. See Indiana Code 31-37-23-1
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
(2) Order the child to receive outpatient treatment:

(A) at a social service agency or a psychological, a psychiatric, a medical, or an educational facility; or

(B) from an individual practitioner.

(3) Remove the child from the child’s home and place the child in another home or a shelter care facility, child caring institution, group home, or secure private facility. Placement under this subdivision includes authorization to control and discipline the child.

(4) Award wardship to a:

(A) person, other than the department; or

(B) shelter care facility.

(5) Partially or completely emancipate the child under section 27 of this chapter.

(6) Order:

(A) the child; or

(B) the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian;

to receive family services.

(7) Order a person who is a party to refrain from direct or indirect contact with the child.

     (b) If the child is removed from the child’s home and placed in a foster family home or another facility, the juvenile court shall:

(1) approve a permanency plan for the child;

(2) find whether or not reasonable efforts were made to prevent or eliminate the need for the removal;

(3) designate responsibility for the placement and care of the child with the probation department; and

(4) find whether it:

(A) serves the best interests of the child to be removed; and

(B) would be contrary to the health and welfare of the child for the child to remain in the home.

     (c) If a dispositional decree under this section:

(1) orders or approves removal of a child from the child’s home or awards wardship of the child to a:

(A) person other than the department; or

(B) shelter care facility; and

(2) is the first court order in the delinquent child proceeding that authorizes or approves removal of the child from the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian;

the court shall include in the decree the appropriate findings and conclusions described in IC 31-37-6-6(g) and IC 31-37-6-6(h).

     (d) If the juvenile court orders supervision of the child by the probation department under subsection (a)(1), the child or the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian is responsible for any costs resulting from the participation in a rehabilitative service or educational class provided by the probation department. Any costs collected for services provided by the probation department shall be deposited in the county supplemental juvenile probation services fund.

[Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-15.4(a) part.]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.20. Amended by P.L.70-2004, SEC.25; P.L.145-2006, SEC.345; P.L.146-2006, SEC.57; P.L.146-2008, SEC.647; P.L.147-2012, SEC.5; P.L.104-2015, SEC.43; P.L.85-2017, SEC.105; P.L.101-2022, SEC.26.