(A) This section may be cited as the "Youth Mentor Act".

(B) The Attorney General's Office shall establish a Youth Mentor Program to serve juvenile offenders under the jurisdiction of the family court. The program shall consist of a church mentor program and a community mentor program. Participation in the program may be required as a pretrial diversion option by a solicitor or as an optional, alternative disposition by a family court judge. The circuit solicitor may charge a juvenile offender who participates in the Youth Mentor Program a fee to offset the actual cost of administering the program; however, no juvenile offender is barred from the program because of indigence. This program must be available for juveniles who commit nonviolent offenses. For purposes of this subsection, nonviolent offenses mean all offenses not listed in Section 16-1-60.

(C) When a child is charged with a nonviolent offense which places him under the jurisdiction of the family court and the solicitor is of the opinion that justice would be better served if the child completed a church mentor program, the solicitor may divert the child to such a program. Upon completion of the program, the proceedings in family court must be dismissed.

Participation in the church mentor program is voluntary, and the child or his parents or guardians may refuse to participate based upon their religious beliefs or for any other reason.

The Attorney General must establish guidelines for the program, the mentors, and the churches, mosques, masjids, synagogues, and other religious organizations that participate in the church mentor program.

(D) When a child is adjudicated delinquent for a nonviolent offense in family court, the family court judge may order the child to participate in the community mentor program. When a child is ordered to participate in the community mentor program, he must be assigned to a community organization which shall assign a mentor to the child. The mentor shall monitor the academic and personal development of the child for a minimum period of six months and a maximum period not exceeding one year as ordered by the court. Failure to complete the program shall result in the child being brought before the family court for appropriate sanctions or revocation of suspended commitment.

The Attorney General must establish guidelines for the program, the mentors, and the community organizations that participate in the community mentor program.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2.