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
Part I - Administration of the Government
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 23a - Children Born to Inmates of Correctional Institutions or Jails; Care and Custody
Section 23b - Services to Unwed Mothers
Section 25 - Hearing; Custody of Child
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 29c - Judicial Certification of Need to Remove Child From Home
Section 29d - Notice of Hearing
Section 33 - Placement of Children in Family Home Care
Section 33c - Congregate Care Program; Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard
Section 34 - Transportation of Children in Patrol Wagons
Section 37 - Rules and Regulations of Department
Section 38 - Closed Hearings; Publication of Names
Section 39 - Abandonment of Infant Under Age of Ten
Section 391/2 - Placement of a Newborn Into Foster Care
Section 39g - Hearing; Determination of Child Requiring Assistance
Section 39i - Children in Need of Services; Appeal; Rights and Procedures
Section 39k - Child Welfare Service Needs of Sexually Exploited Children
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 55 - Delinquent Children; Summoning of Parent or Guardian
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 59 - Delinquent Children; Violation of Terms of Probation
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 64 - Delinquent Children; Powers of Commissioner of Probation; Annual Report
Section 65 - Juvenile Sessions; Presence of Minors; Exclusion of Public
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 86 - Use of Restraints During Court Proceedings
Section 88 - Participation in Community-Based Restorative Justice Program