Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 119 - Protection and Care of Children, and Proceedings Against Them
Section 84 - Warrant of Commitment to Department of Youth Services

Section 84. Whenever a person is committed to the department of youth services by a court under section fifty-six, fifty-eight or eighty-three, a warrant of commitment shall be issued in substance as follows:
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
(County) ss.
To the Sheriff of the County of ___ or his Deputy, or any Constable or Police Officer in said County, and to the Department of Youth Services at
Greeting:
Whereas, (name of person committed) of ___ in the county of , a boy (or girl) between twelve and eighteen (or nineteen) years of age, has this day been brought before the ___ court of ___ by virtue of a summons (or warrant) issued to (against) him (or her) on the complaint of ___ of ___ in the county of ___ who therein, upon oath, says that said defendant, at ___ in the county of ___ on the ___ day of ___ in the year one thousand nine hundred and ___ was guilty of ___ as is more fully alleged in said complaint.
And after hearing all matters and things concerning the same, and all persons entitled thereto having been summoned and notified of the pendency of said complaint, as required by law, it is adjudged by said court that said defendant is delinquent and that he (or she) is of the age of ___ years and ___ months, and is a suitable subject for commitment to the custody of the department of youth services, and that his (or her) moral welfare and best interest and the good of society require that he (or she) should be sent thereto for diagnosis, treatment and training, and said court shall also find that reasonable efforts were made to prevent or eliminate the need for the defendant's removal from his home or that an emergency situation made such efforts impossible and it is thereupon ordered by said court that said defendant stand committed to the custody of the department of youth services during his (or her) minority, or until he (or she) be discharged according to law.
You are therefore hereby required, in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to take said defendant and him (or her) carry to the department of youth services and him (or her) deliver to the (designated officer) thereof, together with an attested copy thereof, and thereafterward forthwith to return this warrant with your doings thereon into said court.
And you, the department of youth services, are alike required to receive said defendant into your custody, and him (or her) safely keep for diagnosis, treatment, instruction and training until the expiration of said term of his (or her) minority, or he (or she) be discharged according to law.
Witness, ___ at said ___ this ___ day of ___ in the year one thousand nine hundred and .
Clerk.
A true copy. (Constable of___)
Attest: (Sheriff of___)
No variance from said form shall be considered material if it sufficiently appears upon the face thereof that the person is committed by the court in the exercise of the powers conferred by this chapter. The warrant may be executed by any officer qualified to serve civil or criminal process in the county where the case is heard. Accompanying the warrant, the court or magistrate shall transmit to the designated officer of the department of youth services, by the officer serving it, a statement of the substance of the complaint and testimony given in the case, and such other particulars relative to the person committed as can be ascertained.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title XVII - Public Welfare

Chapter 119 - Protection and Care of Children, and Proceedings Against Them

Section 1 - Declaration of Policy; Purpose

Section 21 - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 21 to 51h

Section 21a - Admissibility of Evidence; Qualified Experts

Section 22 - Visitation of Family Foster Homes; Removal of Child; Discharge of Child to Parent or Legal Guardian

Section 23 - Responsibility of Department to Provide Foster Care for Children; Placement With Relatives; Funeral Expenses; Child Profile Form; Extension of Support of Child Until 22 Years of Age; Assignment of Support Rights; Assistance to Foster Car...

Section 23a - Children Born to Inmates of Correctional Institutions or Jails; Care and Custody

Section 23b - Services to Unwed Mothers

Section 24 - Procedure to Commit Child to Custody or Other Disposition; Notice and Summons; Emergency Order Transferring Custody; Investigation; Abandoned Children

Section 25 - Hearing; Custody of Child

Section 26 - Procedure at Hearing; Order of Commitment; Petition to Dispense With Parental Consent to Adoption; Reimbursement of Commonwealth; Petition for Review

Section 26a - Registration of Interest for Foster Care Placement; Criminal Record Review; Fingerprint-Based Checks; Grounds for Rejection

Section 26b - Grandparent Visitation; Sibling Visitation; Appeal of Decision to Deny Visitation

Section 26c - Summary of Foster Care Providers' Employment

Section 27 - Appeals; Procedure; Notice of Right of Appeal; Time Limits

Section 28 - Orders for Payment of Support; Who May Bring Action; Expiration of Order or Judgment

Section 29 - Right to Counsel; Notice of Right; Court Appointed Counsel

Section 29a - Legal Fees of Minors in Criminal Proceedings; Liability of Parents

Section 29b - Determination of Future Status of Committed Children; Orders; Permanency Hearings; Appeals

Section 29c - Judicial Certification of Need to Remove Child From Home

Section 29d - Notice of Hearing

Section 32 - Placement of Children in Private Families; Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Standards; Individualized Health Care Plan

Section 33 - Placement of Children in Family Home Care

Section 33b - Placement in Family Home Care of Juvenile Who Has or May Have Committed a Sexual Offense or Arson

Section 33c - Congregate Care Program; Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard

Section 34 - Transportation of Children in Patrol Wagons

Section 35 - Furnishing Parent or Guardian Information as to Child; Permission to Visit; Notice; Parents Convicted of First Degree Murder

Section 36 - Bringing Child Into Commonwealth With View to Adoption, Guardianship, Custody or Care; Permit; Application; Bond

Section 37 - Rules and Regulations of Department

Section 38 - Closed Hearings; Publication of Names

Section 38a - Petitions for Order to Not Resuscitate or to Withdraw Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment; Required Recommendations; Appeals

Section 39 - Abandonment of Infant Under Age of Ten

Section 391/2 - Placement of a Newborn Into Foster Care

Section 39d - Visitation Rights to Certain Grandparents of Unmarried Minor Children; Place to File Petition

Section 39e - Petitions Seeking Determination That Child Is in Need of Services; Jurisdiction; Standing

Section 39f - Children in Need of Services; Right to Counsel; Determination of Indigency; Assessment of Costs

Section 39g - Hearing; Determination of Child Requiring Assistance

Section 39h - Custodial Protection of Child; Notification and Placement; Bail; Detention; Right of Appeal

Section 39i - Children in Need of Services; Appeal; Rights and Procedures

Section 39k - Child Welfare Service Needs of Sexually Exploited Children

Section 39l - Children in Violation of Prohibition Against Common Night Walking or Common Streetwalking; Petition for Care and Protection; Appointment of Guardian Ad Litem; Stay of Juvenile Delinquency or Criminal Proceedings; Failure of Child to Com...

Section 39m - Dependency Proceedings for Abused, Neglected and Abandoned Children; Determination of Child's Best Interest; Petition for Special Findings

Section 51a - Reporting of Suspected Abuse or Neglect; Mandated Reporters; Collection of Physical Evidence; Penalties; Content of Reports; Liability; Privileged Communication

Section 51b - Investigation of Report of Abuse Filed Under Sec. 51a; Removal of Child; Transmission and Filing of Written Reports; Notice to District Attorney; Disclosure of Information by Mandated Reporter

Section 51c - Custody of Injured Child Pending Transfer to Department or Pending Hearing

Section 51d - Powers and Duties of Area Directors; Multi-Disciplinary Service Teams

Section 51e - Reports of Injured Children; Files; Confidentiality; Penalties

Section 51f - Central Registry of Information; Confidentiality; Penalties

Section 51g - Severability of Secs. 51a to 51f

Section 51h - Protective Alerts; Transport of Child to Another State or Country

Section 52 - Delinquent Children; Definitions

Section 53 - Delinquent Children; Liberal Construction; Nature of Proceedings

Section 54 - Delinquent Children; Complaint; Indictment; Examination of Complainant

Section 54a - Delinquent Children; Diversion of Child to Program of Community Supervision or Other Rehabilitative Services; Assessment of Suitability for Diversion; Determination of Eligibility; Diversion of Child by District Attorney; Subsequent Off...

Section 55 - Delinquent Children; Summoning of Parent or Guardian

Section 55a - Delinquent Children; Jury Trials; Discovery Orders; Jury-Waived Trials; Appointment of Stenographer

Section 55b - Delinquent Children; Plea; Disposition Request; Pretrial Motions

Section 56 - Delinquent Children; Adjournments; Jury Sessions; Appointment of Stenographer

Section 57 - Delinquent Children; Investigation by Probation Officer; Record of Performance; Reports

Section 58 - Adjudication as Delinquent Child or Youthful Offender

Section 58b - Delinquent Children; Motor Vehicle Violations; Disposition; Admissibility of Adjudication and Disposition as Evidence in Other Proceedings

Section 59 - Delinquent Children; Violation of Terms of Probation

Section 60 - Delinquent Children; Admissibility of Adjudication in Subsequent Proceeding; Disqualification for Public Service

Section 60a - Inspection of Records in Youthful Offender and Delinquency Cases

Section 62 - Delinquent Children; Restitution or Reparation by Child to Injured Person

Section 63 - Inducing or Abetting Delinquency of Child

Section 63a - Delinquent Children; Aiding and Abetting Violation of Juvenile Court Order; Concealing or Harboring Child; Penalties; Defenses

Section 64 - Delinquent Children; Powers of Commissioner of Probation; Annual Report

Section 65 - Juvenile Sessions; Presence of Minors; Exclusion of Public

Section 66 - Detention of Child in Police Station; Commitment to Jail, House of Correction or State Farm

Section 67 - Notice of Arrest of Child; Release Upon Promise of Child's Appearance in Court; Detention

Section 68 - Commitment of Children Held for Examination or Trial

Section 68a - Diagnostic Study by Department of Youth Services; Report and Recommendations

Section 68b - Special Foster Homes; Detention Homes; Alternate Placements of Child

Section 68c - Diagnostic Services by Department of Youth Services

Section 69 - Information and Reports of Superintendents of Schools and Teachers

Section 69a - Information of Probation Officers, Police and School Authorities

Section 70 - Summoning of Parent or Guardian During Case

Section 71 - Failure to Appear on Summons; Capias

Section 72 - Continuance of Jurisdiction of Courts in Juvenile Sessions

Section 72a - Proceedings Upon Apprehension After Nineteenth Birthday

Section 72b - Persons Between the Ages of Fourteen and Eighteen Convicted of Murder; Penalties

Section 74 - Limitations on Criminal Proceedings Against Children

Section 84 - Warrant of Commitment to Department of Youth Services

Section 85 - Department Employees Reporting Animal Cruelty, Abuse or Neglect; Immunity From Liability

Section 86 - Use of Restraints During Court Proceedings

Section 87 - Placement of Juvenile in Secure Detention Facility or Secure Correctional Facility or in Any Institution in Which Juvenile Has Contact With Adult Inmates

Section 88 - Participation in Community-Based Restorative Justice Program

Section 89 - Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board