Nebraska Revised Statute 43-248.02

Chapter 43

43-248.02.

Juvenile offender civil citation pilot program; peace officer issue civil citation; contents; advisement; peace officer; duties; juvenile report to juvenile assessment center; failure to comply; effect.

A juvenile offender civil citation pilot program as provided in this section and section 43-248.03 may be undertaken by the peace officers and county and city attorneys of a county containing a city of the metropolitan class. The pilot program shall be according to the following procedures:

(1) A peace officer, upon making contact with a juvenile whom the peace officer has reasonable grounds to believe has committed a misdemeanor offense, other than an offense involving a firearm, sexual assault, or domestic violence, may issue the juvenile a civil citation;

(2) The civil citation shall include: The juvenile's name, address, school of attendance, and contact information; contact information for the juvenile's parents or guardian; a description of the misdemeanor offense believed to have been committed; the juvenile assessment center where the juvenile cited is to appear within seventy-two hours after the issuance of the civil citation; and a warning that failure to appear in accordance with the command of the civil citation or failure to provide the information necessary for the peace officer to complete the civil citation will result in the juvenile being taken into temporary custody as provided in sections 43-248 and 43-250;

(3) At the time of issuance of a civil citation by the peace officer, the peace officer shall advise the juvenile that the juvenile has the option to refuse the civil citation and be taken directly into temporary custody as provided in sections 43-248 and 43-250. The option to refuse the civil citation may be exercised at any time prior to compliance with any services required pursuant to subdivision (5) of this section;

(4) Upon issuing a civil citation, the peace officer shall provide or send a copy of the civil citation to the appropriate county attorney, the juvenile assessment center, and the parents or guardian of the juvenile;

(5) The juvenile shall report to the juvenile assessment center as instructed by the citation. The juvenile assessment center may require the juvenile to participate in community service or other available services appropriate to the needs of the juvenile identified by the juvenile assessment center which may include family counseling, urinalysis monitoring, or substance abuse and mental health treatment services; and

(6) If the juvenile fails to comply with any services required pursuant to subdivision (5) of this section or if the juvenile is issued a third or subsequent civil citation, a peace officer shall take the juvenile into temporary custody as provided in sections 43-248 and 43-250.