1. The fingerprints of a child must be taken if the child is in custody for an unlawful act that, if committed by an adult, would have been:

(a) A felony, gross misdemeanor or sexual offense; or

(b) A misdemeanor and the unlawful act involved:

(1) The use or threatened use of force or violence against the victim; or

(2) The possession, use or threatened use of a firearm or a deadly weapon.

2. The fingerprints of a child who is in custody but who is not subject to the provisions of subsection 1 may be taken if a law enforcement officer finds latent fingerprints during the investigation of an offense and the officer has reason to believe that the latent fingerprints are those of the child. The officer shall use the fingerprints taken from the child to make an immediate comparison with the latent fingerprints. If the comparison is:

(a) Negative, the fingerprint card and other copies of the fingerprints taken may be immediately destroyed or may be retained for future use.

(b) Positive, the fingerprint card and other copies of the fingerprints:

(1) Must be delivered to the juvenile court for disposition if the child is referred to the juvenile court.

(2) May be immediately destroyed or may be retained for future use if the child is not referred to the juvenile court.

3. Fingerprints that are taken from a child pursuant to the provisions of this section:

(a) May be retained in a local file or a local system for the automatic retrieval of fingerprints if they are retained under special security measures that limit inspection of the fingerprints to law enforcement officers who are conducting criminal investigations. If the child from whom the fingerprints are taken subsequently is not adjudicated delinquent, the parent or guardian of the child or, when the child becomes at least 18 years of age, the child may petition the juvenile court for the removal of the fingerprints from any local file or local system.

(b) Must be submitted to the Central Repository if the child is adjudicated delinquent for an unlawful act that would have been a felony or a sexual offense if committed by an adult, and may be submitted to the Central Repository for any other act. Any such fingerprints submitted to the Central Repository must be submitted with a description of the child and the unlawful act, if any, that the child committed. The Central Repository shall retain the fingerprints and information of the child under special security measures that limit inspection of the fingerprints and the information to:

(1) Law enforcement officers who are conducting criminal investigations; and

(2) Officers and employees of the Central Repository who are assisting law enforcement officers with criminal investigations or who are conducting research or performing a statistical analysis.

(c) Must not be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation unless the child is adjudicated delinquent for an unlawful act that would have been a felony or a sexual offense if committed by an adult.

4. A child who is in custody must be photographed for the purpose of identification. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the photographs of the child must be kept in the file pertaining to the child under special security measures which provide that the photographs may be inspected only to conduct criminal investigations and photographic lineups. If the juvenile court subsequently determines that the child is not delinquent, the juvenile court shall order the photographs to be destroyed.

5. Any person who willfully violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

6. As used in this section, “sexual offense” means:

(a) Sexual assault pursuant to NRS 200.366;

(b) Statutory sexual seduction pursuant to NRS 200.368;

(c) Battery with intent to commit sexual assault pursuant to NRS 200.400;

(d) An offense involving pornography and a minor pursuant to NRS 200.710 to 200.730, inclusive;

(e) Incest pursuant to NRS 201.180;

(f) Open or gross lewdness pursuant to NRS 201.210;

(g) Indecent or obscene exposure pursuant to NRS 201.220;

(h) Lewdness with a child pursuant to NRS 201.230;

(i) Sexual penetration of a dead human body pursuant to NRS 201.450;

(j) Luring a child or person with mental illness pursuant to NRS 201.560, if punishable as a felony;

(k) An attempt to commit an offense listed in paragraphs (a) to (j), inclusive; or

(l) An offense that is determined to be sexually motivated pursuant to NRS 175.547.

(Added to NRS by 2003, 1088; A 2003, 1379; 2013, 1157)