Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 938 - Juvenile justice code.
938.24 - Receipt of jurisdictional information; intake inquiry.

938.24 Receipt of jurisdictional information; intake inquiry.
(1) Referral of information to intake worker; inquiry. Except when a citation has been issued under s. 938.17 (2), information indicating that a juvenile should be referred to the court as delinquent, in need of protection or services, or in violation of a civil law or a county, town, or municipal ordinance shall be referred to an intake worker. The intake worker shall conduct an intake inquiry on behalf of the court to determine whether the available facts establish prima facie jurisdiction and to determine the best interests of the juvenile and of the public with regard to any action to be taken.
(1m) Counseling. As part of the intake inquiry, the intake worker shall inform the juvenile and the juvenile's parent, guardian and legal custodian that they may request counseling from a person designated by the court to provide dispositional services under s. 938.069.
(2) Multidisciplinary screens; intake conferences.
(a) As part of the intake inquiry the intake worker, after providing notice to the juvenile, parent, guardian, and legal custodian, may conduct multidisciplinary screens and intake conferences. If sub. (2m) applies and if the juvenile has not refused to participate under par. (b), the intake worker shall conduct a multidisciplinary screen under s. 938.547.
(b) No juvenile or other person may be compelled by an intake worker to appear at any conference, participate in a multidisciplinary screen, produce any papers, or visit any place.
(2m) Multidisciplinary screen; pilot program.
(a) In counties that have a pilot program under s. 938.547, a multidisciplinary screen shall be conducted for a juvenile who is or does any of the following:
1. Alleged to have committed a violation specified under ch. 961.
2. Alleged to be delinquent or in need of protection and services and has at least 2 prior adjudications for a violation of s. 125.07 (4) (a) or (b), 125.085 (3) (b), or 125.09 (2) or a local ordinance that strictly conforms to any of those sections.
3. Alleged to have committed any offense that appears to the intake worker to be directly motivated by the juvenile's need to purchase or otherwise obtain alcohol beverages, controlled substances, or controlled substance analogs.
4. Twelve years of age or older and requests and consents to a multidisciplinary screen.
5. Consents to a multidisciplinary screen requested by his or her parents.
(b) The multidisciplinary screen may be conducted by an intake worker for any reason other than those specified in par. (a).
(2r) Indian juvenile; notification of tribal court.
(a) If the intake worker determines as a result of the intake inquiry that the juvenile is an Indian juvenile who has allegedly committed a delinquent act and that all of the following circumstances apply, the intake worker shall promptly notify the clerk of the tribal court under subd. 1., a person who serves as the tribal juvenile intake worker, or a tribal prosecuting attorney that the juvenile has allegedly committed a delinquent act under those circumstances:
1. At the time of the delinquent act the juvenile was under an order of a tribal court, other than a tribal court order relating to adoption, physical placement or visitation with the juvenile's parent, or permanent guardianship.
2. At the time of the delinquent act the juvenile was physically outside the boundaries of s the reservation of the Indian tribe of the tribal court and any off-reservation trust land of either that Indian tribe or a member of that Indian tribe as a direct consequence of a tribal court order under subd. 1., including a tribal court order placing the juvenile in the home of a relative of the juvenile who on or after the date of the tribal court order resides physically outside the boundaries of a reservation and off-reservation trust land.
(b) If the intake worker is notified by an official of the Indian tribe that a petition relating to the delinquent act has been or may be filed in tribal court, the intake worker shall consult with tribal officials, unless the intake worker determines under sub. (4) that the case should be closed. After the consultation, the intake worker shall determine whether the best interests of the juvenile and of the public would be served by having the matter proceed solely in tribal court. If the intake worker determines that the best interests of the juvenile and of the public would be served by having the matter proceed solely in tribal court, the intake worker shall close the case. If the intake worker determines that the best interests of the juvenile and of the public would not be served by having the matter proceed solely in tribal court, the intake worker shall proceed under sub. (3) or (4).
(3) Request for petition. If the intake worker determines as a result of the intake inquiry that the juvenile should be referred to the court, the intake worker shall request that the district attorney, corporation counsel or other official specified in s. 938.09 file a petition.
(4) Deferred prosecution agreement or case closure. If the intake worker determines as a result of the intake inquiry that the case should be subject to a deferred prosecution agreement, or should be closed, the intake worker shall so proceed. If a petition has been filed, a deferred prosecution agreement may not be entered into or a case may not be closed unless the petition is withdrawn by the district attorney, corporation counsel or other official specified in s. 938.09, or is dismissed by the court.
(5) Request for petition, deferred prosecution, or case closure; time periods. The intake worker shall request that a petition be filed, enter into a deferred prosecution agreement, or close the case within 40 days after receipt of referral information. Before entering into a deferred prosecution agreement, the intake worker shall comply with s. 938.245 (1m), if applicable. If the case is closed or a deferred prosecution agreement is entered into, the district attorney, corporation counsel, or other official under s. 938.09 shall receive written notice of that action. If the case is closed, the known victims of the juvenile's alleged act shall receive notice as provided under sub. (5m), if applicable. A notice of deferred prosecution of an alleged delinquency case shall include a summary of the facts surrounding the allegation and a list of the juvenile's prior intake referrals and dispositions. If a law enforcement officer has made a recommendation concerning the juvenile, the intake worker shall forward the recommendation to the district attorney under s. 938.09. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the district attorney may initiate a delinquency petition under s. 938.25 within 20 days after notice that the case has been closed or that a deferred prosecution agreement has been entered into. The court shall grant appropriate relief as provided in s. 938.315 (3) with respect to any petition that is not referred or filed within the time period specified in this subsection. Failure to object to the fact that a petition is not referred or filed within a time period specified in this subsection waives any challenge to the court's competency to act on the petition.
(5m) Case closure; information to victims. If a juvenile is alleged to be delinquent under s. 938.12 or to be in need of protection or services under s. 938.13 (12) and the intake worker decides to close the case, the intake worker shall make a reasonable attempt to inform all of the known victims of the juvenile's act that the case is being closed at that time.
(6) Written policies. The intake worker shall perform his or her responsibilities under this section under general written policies promulgated under s. 938.06 (1) or (2).
(7) No intake inquiry or review for citations. If a citation is issued to a juvenile, the citation is not subject to an inquiry or a review by an intake worker for the purpose of recommending deferred prosecution.
History: 1995 a. 77, 275, 352, 448; 1997 a. 181; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 284; 2005 a. 344; 2007 a. 199; 2009 a. 94.
NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 284 contains explanatory notes.
Under the facts of the case, sub. (5) did not mandate dismissal although referral was not made within 40 days. In re J.L.W., 143 Wis. 2d 126, 420 N.W.2d 398 (Ct. App. 1988).
Under sub. (1), “information indicating that a child should be referred to the court as delinquent" is that quantum of information that would allow a reasonable intake worker to evaluate the appropriate disposition of the matter. In Interest of J.W.T., 159 Wis. 2d 754, 465 N.W.2d 520 (Ct. App. 1990).
Sub. (5), when read in conjunction with sub. (3), requires that an intake worker request the district attorney to file a delinquency petition and does not require the intake worker to make a recommendation that a petition be filed. Interest of Antonio M.C., 182 Wis. 2d 301, 513 N.W.2d 662 (Ct. App. 1994).
Procedural Changes. Plum. Wis. Law. Apr. 1996.
NOTE: The above annotations cite to s. 48.24, the predecessor statute to s. 938.24.
When a district attorney receives notice of a deferred prosecution agreement from an intake worker under sub. (5), the 20 days during which the district attorney may terminate the agreement under s. 938.245 (6) begins. When a court orders a deferred prosecution agreement under s. 938.21 (7), the intake worker need not notify the district attorney and nothing triggers a district attorney's authority to terminate the agreement under s. 938.245 (6). An order under s. 938.21 (7) dismissing a petition and referring for deferred prosecution does not require district attorney consent. The district attorney may not override the order by filing a new petition with the same charges and facts. State v. Lindsey A.F., 2002 WI App 223, 257 Wis. 2d 650, 653 N.W.2d 116, 01-0081.
Affirmed. 2003 WI 63, 262 Wis. 2d 200, 663 N.W.2d 757, 01-0081.

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