Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 815t - Juvenile Matters
Section 46b-134. (Formerly Sec. 51-315). - Investigation by probation officer prior to disposition of delinquency case. Physical, mental and diagnostic examination.

Prior to the disposition of the case of any child adjudicated as delinquent, an investigation shall be made of the facts as specified in this section by the probation officer, and until such investigation has been completed and the results thereof placed before the judge, no disposition of the child's case shall be made. Such investigation shall consist of an examination of the parentage and surroundings of the child and the child's age, habits and history, and shall include also an inquiry into the home conditions, habits and character of the child's parents or guardians. Such investigation shall include an inquiry into the circumstances of the offense, the attitude of the complainant or victim, the criminal record, the present condition of the child and any damages suffered by the victim including medical expenses, loss of earnings and property loss. If the child is or legally should be in attendance at school, such investigation shall further contain a report of the child's school attendance, adjustment and behavior, the child's individualized education program if the child has been identified pursuant to sections 10-76a to 10-76gg, inclusive, as requiring special education and related services and any recommendations from school officials on conditions of probation if the child is placed on probation pursuant to section 46b-140, which shall be furnished by the school officials to the court upon its request. The court shall, when it is found necessary to the disposition, cause a complete physical or mental examination, or both, to be made of the child by persons professionally qualified to do so. Such examination may include testing to determine whether the child is alcohol-dependent or drug-dependent as defined in section 46b-120. If the court causes a complete physical or mental examination, or both, to be made of a child whose parents, guardian or custodian is found able to pay in whole or in part the cost thereof, it shall assess as costs against such parents, guardian or custodian, including any agency vested with the legal custody of the child, the expense so incurred and paid for by the court in having such examination performed, to the extent of their financial ability to do so. Prior to the disposition of the case of any child adjudicated as delinquent, the court may cause a complete diagnostic examination to be made, unless such information is otherwise available. Such information shall include physical and psychological diagnoses and may include medical, psychiatric, neurological, learning disability diagnoses and such other diagnoses as the court deems necessary.

(1949 Rev., S. 2811; 1969, P.A. 794, S. 9; P.A. 78-188, S. 7, 8; P.A. 79-581, S. 5; P.A. 82-298, S. 7; P.A. 89-273, S. 4; P.A. 90-161, S. 3, 6; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 94-221, S. 13; P.A. 95-225, S. 18; P.A. 03-86, S. 1; P.A. 18-31, S. 35.)
History: 1969 act restated provisions and specified probation officer as agent required to make investigations necessary prior to disposition of case; P.A. 78-188 authorized court to order a restitution investigation; P.A. 79-581 added provisions re required diagnostic examinations in cases where child found delinquent for serious juvenile offense; Sec. 17-66 temporarily renumbered as Sec. 51-315 and ultimately transferred to Sec. 46b-134 in 1979; P.A. 82-298 deleted provision which empowered court to order restitution investigations; P.A. 89-273 added provision requiring that the costs incurred and paid by the court for a physical or mental examination of a child be assessed against the parents, guardian or custodian of such child, including any agency vested with the legal custody of such child, to the extent of their financial ability to do so, and made the diagnostic examination discretionary rather than mandatory and applicable to any child found to be delinquent rather than any child found to be delinquent for a serious juvenile offense; P.A. 90-161 added provision permitting examination to include testing to determine whether the child is alcohol-dependent or drug-dependent; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-221 expanded the information to be included in the report for a child attending school or who legally should be attending school to include attendance, behavior and any recommendations from school officials on conditions of probation if the child is placed on probation; P.A. 95-225 replaced “found to be delinquent” with “convicted of a delinquent act” and added provision requiring the investigation to include an inquiry into the circumstances of the offense, the attitude of the complainant or victim, the criminal record, the present condition of the child and any damages suffered by the victim; P.A. 03-86 expanded information required in report with respect to a child who is or should be in school to include the child's individualized education program if the child has been identified as requiring special education and related services and made technical changes; P.A. 18-31 replaced “convicted of a delinquent act” with “adjudicated as delinquent”, deleted provision re information to be shared with Department of Children and Families, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2018.
Annotations to former section 17-66:
Cited. 135 C. 515; 136 C. 494; 158 C. 439. Failure to complete required investigation and juvenile court's failure to consider facts that might have been brought to light upon completion of investigation had no bearing on that court's ultimate decision under former Sec. 17-60a to transfer defendant's case to regular criminal docket, because defendant's age mandated transfer of his case to regular criminal docket. 276 C. 633.
Cited. 19 CS 374; 26 CS 316.
Annotations to present section:
Cited. 211 C. 151; 216 C. 563.

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