{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-2-7-503","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-2-7-503","heading":"Delinquent children - Intent of Legislature - Powers","body":"and duties of Office.\n\nA. It is the intent of the Legislature of this state to provide\n\nfor the creation of all reasonable means and methods that can be\n\nestablished by a state for:\n\n1. The prevention of delinquency;\n\n2. The care and rehabilitation of delinquent children; and\n\n3. The protection of the public.\n\nIt is further the intent of the Legislature that this state, through\n\nthe Office of Juvenile Affairs, establish, maintain and continuously\n\nrefine and develop a balanced and comprehensive state program for\n\nchildren who are potentially delinquent or are delinquent.\n\nB. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, whenever\n\na child who has been adjudicated by the court as a delinquent child\n\nhas been committed to the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Office\n\nshall provide for placement pursuant to any option authorized by\n\nparagraphs 1 through 7 of this subsection; provided, nothing in this\n\nsubsection shall be construed to establish a priority in regard to\n\nthe selection of an option or to mandate the exclusive use of one\n\nparticular option:\n\n1. Place the child in a secure facility, including a collocated\n\nsecure facility, or other institution or facility maintained,\n\noperated or contracted by the state for delinquent children if the\n\nchild has:\n\na. exhibited seriously violent, aggressive or assaultive\n\nbehavior,\n\nb. committed a serious felony constituting violent,\n\naggressive and assaultive behavior,\n\nc. habitually committed delinquent acts if such acts\n\nwould constitute felonies if committed by an adult,\n\nd. committed multiple serious delinquent acts, or\n\ne. violated any condition of probation or parole,\n\nto the extent that it is necessary for the protection of the public.\n\nFor purposes of placement, all deferred prosecutions for serious,\n\nhabitual, violent, aggressive or assaultive crimes shall count\n\ntoward placement decisions;\n\n2. Place the child in a facility maintained, operated or\n\ncontracted by the state for children, or in a foster home, group\n\nhome, transitional living program or community residential center;\n\n3. Allow the child his or her liberty, under supervision, in an\n\nindependent living program;\n\n4. Allow the child his or her liberty, under supervision,\n\neither immediately or after a period in one of the facilities\n\nreferred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection;\n\n5. Place the child in a state school for individuals with\n\nintellectual disabilities, if the child is eligible for admission\n\nthereto;\n\n6. Place the child in any licensed private facility deemed by\n\nthe Office of Juvenile Affairs to be in the best interest of the\n\nchild; or\n\n7. Place the child as provided by Section 2-2-804 of this title\n\nand the Inpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment of\n\nMinors Act, if the delinquent child has been found by a court to be\n\nin need of mental health or substance abuse treatment.\n\nC. The Office shall place priority on the placement of\n\ndelinquent youth held in secure juvenile detention facilities.\n\nD. Placement of a juvenile pursuant to this section or any\n\nother provision of law shall be the responsibility of the Office of\n\nJuvenile Affairs and shall occur as soon as reasonably possible\n\nafter adjudication and after the selected placement option becomes\n\navailable.\n\nThe court shall not have authority to require specific placement\n\nof a juvenile in a time frame which would require the removal of any\n\nother juvenile from such placement.","path":["OK Code","Title 10A"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os10A.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"a560eb4c20bf055b91a4498a33675e50de371de4a01390d57df0037f7fb78d7d","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-2-7-502","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-10a-10a-2-7-504"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}