2A:4A-32. Short-term custody

13. Short-term custody. a. Under no circumstances shall any juvenile taken into short-term custody under section 12 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-31) be held more than six hours. A juvenile taken into short-term custody shall not be retained in a detention facility or jail. As used in this section, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit means that unit established pursuant to P.L.1982, c.80 (C.2A:4A-76 et seq.).

b. An officer taking a juvenile into short-term custody shall inform the juvenile of the reason for custody and shall where possible transport, or arrange to have the juvenile transported to his home. The officer releasing a juvenile from such custody shall inform the juvenile's parents or guardian and the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit of the reason for taking the juvenile into custody and may, if he believes further services are needed, inform the juvenile and his parents of the nature and location of appropriate services.

c. A law enforcement officer taking a juvenile into short-term custody may transport the juvenile to the home of a relative of the juvenile or to the home of another responsible adult or make arrangement for such transportation where the officer reasonably believes that the child will be provided with adequate care and supervision and that the child will remain in custody of the adult until such time as the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit can bring about the child's return home or an alternative living arrangement or out of home placement. A law enforcement officer placing a juvenile with a relative or responsible adult shall immediately notify the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit of this fact and the reason for taking the juvenile into custody.

d. A law enforcement officer acting reasonably and in good faith pursuant to this section in releasing a juvenile to a person other than a parent of a juvenile is immune from civil or criminal liability for his action. A person other than a parent of the juvenile who receives a child pursuant to this section and who acts reasonably and in good faith in doing so is immune from civil or criminal liability for the act of receiving the child. Immunity shall not release a person from liability under any other laws, including the laws regulating licensed child care or prohibiting child abuse and neglect.

L.1982,c.77,s.13; amended 1995,c.280,s.6.