The Civil Citation program, in accordance with Florida Statutes 985.12, is administered in the 19th Judicial Circuit by Court Administration. This program offers early intervention, community counseling referrals and other appropriate community resources to divert qualifying juvenile misdemeanor offenders from the Juvenile Justice System. The civil citation program works with other community partners in an effort to reduce juvenile crime and to provide services for at-risk youth.
Who is eligible to participate
A juvenile who commits a misdemeanor or violates a county or municipal ordinance, with the exception of domestic violence cases, is eligible to participate. The juvenile must have no prior arrests or juvenile sanctions. The victim must be in agreement with the youth’s participation in the program. Both the child and the parent/legal guardian must agree to participate in the program and abide by the rules of the supervision process. The Law Enforcement Officer has the discretion of issuing a civil citation or arresting the child.
What are the requirements of the program?
The Law Enforcement Officer issues the Civil Citation Notice to Appear at the scene, giving the juvenile two business days to contact the program office to schedule an appointment for the initial assessment. A parent/legal guardian must accompany the child to the assessment. The family will meet with the program coordinator and the youth will be given sanctions that he/she must complete. The sanctions can include, but are not limited to:
- Counseling
- Substance abuse education classes
- Community service hours
- Essays, workbooks, etc.
- Home tours
- Jail tours of the Indian River County Jail
The youth is then given a date to return with all of his/her completed sanctions. The youth must complete all assigned sanctions to successfully complete the program.
What happens if the juvenile does not abide by the rules of the program?
If the juvenile fails to successfully complete their assigned sanctions/services for any reason or if they are charged with another crime while they are in the program, his/her case will be forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution.
Will the juvenile have a legal record be after completing the program?
No, upon successful completion of the program, the juvenile’s record will be closed out in the Juvenile Justice Information System.