Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-2-7-602: Methods of administration - Merit system - Employment

of superintendent and other personnel - Criminal history records

searches - Superintendent as guardian

A. The Office of Juvenile Affairs shall establish and maintain

such methods of administration, including those necessary to

establish and maintain a merit system of personnel administration,

and shall promulgate such rules as it deems necessary for the

efficient and effective operation of the juvenile institutions and

facilities operated by the Office.

B. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs

shall employ and fix the duties and compensation of a

superintendent, and such other personnel as the Executive Director

deems necessary, for each of the juvenile institutions and

facilities operated by the Office of Juvenile Affairs. The Office

shall promulgate, and in its hiring and employment practices, the

Office shall adhere to, written minimum qualifications by position

for personnel working with or around juveniles in said institutions

and facilities. Such minimum qualifications shall be designed to

assure that such personnel possess sufficient education, training,

experience and background to provide adequate and safe professional

care and services to said juveniles; and that the juveniles will not

be exposed to abuse, deprivation, criminal conduct, or other

unwholesome conditions attributable to employee incompetence or

misconduct.

C. 1. The Office of Juvenile Affairs may directly request

national criminal history records searches as defined by Section

150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes from the Oklahoma State

Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of investigating the

criminal history of any employee or applicant of the Office of

Juvenile Affairs. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation may

charge a search fee as provided in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the

Oklahoma Statutes. The fee shall be deposited in the OSBI Revolving

Fund.

2. The Board of Juvenile Affairs shall promulgate rules for the

Office of Juvenile Affairs to obtain national criminal history

records for personnel described in subsection B of this section,

except that such rules may permit employment of applicants pending

receipt of the results of national criminal history record searches.

D. The superintendent of a juvenile institution or facility

shall be the guardian of the person of each juvenile in the

institution or facility for the limited purpose of providing care

and protection for any life-threatening situation that may arise.