8-246. Jurisdiction; length of commitment; placement; assessment; definition

A. When jurisdiction of a juvenile has been acquired by the juvenile court, the juvenile shall continue under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court until the juvenile attains eighteen years of age or, if the juvenile court has retained jurisdiction over the person pursuant to section 8-202, subsection H, nineteen years of age, unless sooner discharged pursuant to law. From the time of commitment to the department of juvenile corrections, a juvenile shall be subject to the control of the department of juvenile corrections until the juvenile's discharge pursuant to section 41-2820.

B. Except pursuant to section 8-341, subsection N and section 8-344, and unless the court has retained jurisdiction over the person pursuant to section 8-202, subsection H:

1. The awarding of a juvenile shall not extend beyond the juvenile's eighteenth birthday.

2. Commitment to the department of juvenile corrections shall be until the juvenile attains eighteen years of age unless sooner discharged by the department of juvenile corrections.

C. The supreme court in cooperation with the department of juvenile corrections and other state agencies shall develop a common risk needs assessment instrument to be used for each juvenile who is referred to the juvenile court. The juvenile court shall update the risk needs assessment on each subsequent referral of the juvenile to the juvenile court, and the court shall use the risk needs assessment to determine the appropriate disposition of the juvenile. The supreme court in cooperation with the department of juvenile corrections shall develop guidelines to be used by juvenile court judges in determining those juveniles who should be committed to the department of juvenile corrections.

D. For the purposes of this section, " juvenile" includes a person who is under eighteen years of age or, if the juvenile court has retained jurisdiction over the person pursuant to section 8-202, subsection H, under nineteen years of age.