RS 15:1099.3: Purpose

A governing authority may assist and afford opportunities to preadjudicatory and postadjudicatory children who enter the juvenile justice system to become productive, law-abiding citizens of the community, parish, and state by the establishment of rehabilitative programs within a structured environment and provide physical facilities and related services for children, including the housing, care, supervision, maintenance, and education of juveniles under the age of eighteen years, and for individuals eighteen years of age and over who were under eighteen years of age when they committed an alleged offense, throughout the parish and participating parishes.