§ 14-1-6 - Retention of jurisdiction.
SECTION 14-1-6
§ 14-1-6 Retention of jurisdiction. –(a) When the court shall have obtained jurisdiction over any child prior to thechild having attained the age of eighteen (18) years by the filing of apetition alleging that the child is wayward or delinquent pursuant to §14-1-5, the child shall, except as specifically provided in this chapter,continue under the jurisdiction of the court until he or she becomes nineteen(19) years of age, unless discharged prior to turning nineteen (19). When thecourt shall have obtained jurisdiction over any child prior to the child'seighteenth (18th) birthday by the filing of a petition alleging that the childis dependent, neglected and abused pursuant to §§ 14-1-5 and 40-11-7,including any child under the jurisdiction of the family court on petitionsfiled and/or pending before the court prior to July 1, 2007, the child shall,except as specifically provided in this chapter, continue under thejurisdiction of the court until he or she becomes eighteen (18) years of age;provided, that prior to a child turning eighteen (18) years of age, the courtshall require the department of children, youth, and families to provide adescription of the transition services afforded the child in placement or adetailed explanation as to the reason those services were not offered; providedfurther that any youth who comes within the jurisdiction of the court by thefiling of a wayward or delinquent petition based upon an offense which wascommitted prior to July 1, 2007, including youth who are adjudicated andcommitted to the Rhode Island Training School and who are placed in a temporarycommunity placement as authorized by the family court, may continue under thejurisdiction of the court until he or she turns twenty one (21) years of age.
(b) In any case where the court shall not have acquiredjurisdiction over any person prior to the person's eighteenth (18th) birthdayby the filing of a petition alleging that the person had committed an offense,but a petition alleging that the person had committed an offense which would bepunishable as a felony if committed by an adult has been filed before thatperson attains the age of nineteen (19) years of age, that person shall, exceptas specifically provided in this chapter, be subject to the jurisdiction of thecourt until he or she becomes nineteen (19) years of age, unless dischargedprior to turning nineteen (19).
(c) In any case where the court shall not have acquiredjurisdiction over any person prior to the person attaining the age of nineteen(19) years by the filing of a petition alleging that the person had committedan offense prior to the person attaining the age of eighteen (18) years whichwould be punishable as a felony if committed by an adult, that person shall bereferred to the court which would have had jurisdiction over the offense if ithad been committed by an adult. The court shall have jurisdiction to try thatperson for the offense committed prior to the person attaining the age ofeighteen (18) years and, upon conviction, may impose a sentence not exceedingthe maximum penalty provided for the conviction of that offense.
(d) In any case where the court has certified and adjudicateda child in accordance with the provisions of §§ 14-1-7.2 and14-1-7.3, the jurisdiction of the court shall encompass the power and authorityto sentence the child to a period in excess of the age of nineteen (19) years.However, in no case shall the sentence be in excess of the maximum penaltyprovided by statute for the conviction of the offense.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect thejurisdiction of other courts over offenses committed by any person after he orshe reaches the age of eighteen (18) years.