The duties of such department shall be:

(1) to undertake the supervision of all persons placed on probation or parole by any of the judges of said court, to keep accurate records of such supervision, and to report to the court as to such probation or parole as directed by any of the judges of the court;

(2) to be present when court is in session and so directed by any one of said judges;

(3) to perform the duties required of probation officers by chapter 521;

(4) to assist in administering the law providing for all allowances to mothers of dependent children, and to perform the duties of investigation and supervision, as found in Mason's Minnesota Statutes of 1927, sections 8671 to 8689;

(5) to provide for mental and physical examination of persons coming under the juvenile court law, and to provide for necessary mental, dental, surgical, and nursing care for such persons;

(6) to make such investigation as the court may direct concerning the circumstances of the offense, criminal record and social history of any person convicted of crime, and when deemed appropriate to obtain a physical and mental examination of such defendant and report thereon;

(7) to make collections of support money in divorce actions when ordered by a judge of the court for the benefit of children or indigent mothers and children jointly; to collect money ordered to be paid in desertion and abandonment cases; and to make collections of money or property when ordered to be paid as restitution or reimbursement, and to turn over such money or property to the person or persons entitled thereto. Before turning over such money as herein provided, the department may deduct from such money a charge for its collection services. Such charges shall be made in whatever amount and in whatever manner as is approved by the district court, fourth judicial district;

(8) to make investigations in divorce cases of children and home conditions when directed by a judge of said court, and also to exercise supervision over children in such divorce cases as the court may direct;

(9) when directed by a judge of the court and when the person having custody of children is indigent, to take such steps as may be necessary to compel persons ordered to pay money for the support of children when in default; to take such steps as may be necessary to compel persons to make reimbursement to comply with the order of court when in default; to institute, if necessary, contempt proceedings in behalf of such person or persons to whom money or property is ordered to be paid or delivered. It shall be the duty of the county attorney to conduct such contempt proceedings when directed by one of the judges of the court. The county attorney in such contempt proceedings or upon a separate motion supported by order to show cause and affidavits may move the court that any defaults or delinquent payments under such order of support be reduced to a judgment against the defaulting party, and where the local social services agency or any other public agency has advanced and expended funds to supply the unmet needs of such children because of such default by failure to pay the court order, such local social services agency or other public agency shall be subrogated and may recover under such judgment to the extent that public funds were expended for the care and support of such children;

(10) to perform such other duties for the protection of children and indigent mothers and children as may be directed by the court, including the exclusive operation, control and administration of any juvenile detention facility provided by such county for the temporary custody of delinquent children.

History: 1929 c 326 s 3; 1955 c 504 s 3; 1961 c 527 s 2; 1969 c 811 s 1; 1994 c 631 s 31