Custody for children and young people following arrest

The Police can arrest a child or young person without warrant if they believe that the arrest is necessary to:

• ensure the appearance of the child or young person before the Court or
• prevent the child or young person from committing more offences or
• prevent the loss or destruction of evidence or interference with witnesses

and

• where summonsing the child or young person would not achieve that purpose (s214).

The Police can also arrest a child or young person without warrant if the child or young person has been released on bail and the officer believes:

• the child or young person has breached a condition of that bail; and
• the child or young person has on two or more occasions breached a condition of that bail (s214A).

Following arrest the Police can release the child or young person, bail them or deliver them into the custody of:

• a parent/guardian or usual caregiver
• an iwi social service or cultural social service. The child or young person must agree to this
• a person or organisation approved by the chief executive or the Police constable. The child or young person must agree to this (s234).

When a child or young person is in police custody and a social worker has been called, the social worker will meet with the child or young person and ascertain if there are any immediate needs and risks that need addressing. A Substance and Choices Scale (SACS), the Kessler and Suicide/Suicide Risk Assessment screens will also be completed at this time. The social worker should use this opportunity to talk to the child or young person about who within the immediate or extended family/whānau can be contacted to support them.

If the Police consider that the release, bail or custody options in s234 are not appropriate they will place the child or young person in the custody of the chief executive under s235. The decision to place in the custody of the chief executive can be made if the Police believe that:

• the child or young person is unlikely to appear in court
• the child or young person is likely to commit further offences
• evidence might be lost or destroyed
• witness interference might occur.

The Police cannot place a child or young person in the custody of the chief executive following arrest because they believe that the child or young person is in need of care and protection (s235(4)).

Any placement by the Police with the chief executive needs to occur as soon as practicable and not later than 24 hours after arrest. Under s235 the start time used to calculate the 24 hour period for a young person detained in police cells for Oranga Tamariki is the time of the arrest.

It is important to note that s235 applies to both children and young persons, while s236 only applies to young people. See below for details on s236.

The Police are to provide a report to the social worker when placing a child or young person (s235(2)(b)) which will include:

• the identity of the child or young person; and
• the circumstances of the arrest; and
• the date and time of the intended appearance before the court.

To assist in making appropriate arrangements for the child or young person, the social worker should request additional information including the grounds on why custody with the chief executive is considered necessary, what efforts the Police made to find bail options (if any), who in the family/whänau have been contacted (including phone numbers and addresses) and details of past offending.

Oranga Tamariki are responsible for ensuring the young person's appearance in Youth Court when a young person is placed under s235.

Under s235 the child or young person is required to be detained, though this does not necessarily mean in a residence. However the placement must provide for adequate supervision (i.e. sufficient to ensure that the child or young person does not abscond, try to tamper with evidence/witnesses, reoffend or breach bail again) and it must be made clear to the child or young person that they are not free to roam. Placement in the custody of the chief executive under s235 is sufficient authority for the social worker to detain the child or young person in a s364 residence or any residence (as defined under s2).

There are three ways in which a child or young person can be detained under s235:

1. By the social worker: perhaps when they are due in Court soon after being delivered to the social worker and it is possible to have them remain in the office with adequate supervision to ensure the child or young person is able to be detained.
2. Placement in a residence: note there is no requirement for the placement to be in a s364 residence and therefore placement could be considered in any s2 residence (e.g. a foster home, a family home, a group home). However the social worker needs to be satisfied that it is suitable for the detention of the child or young person.
3. Under the care of a suitable person: this should not be treated as a transfer of custody to the person approved by the social worker as the chief executive retains custody and the social worker approves a member of the community or organisation to provide the care. The social worker needs to be satisfied that the person is able to appropriately detain and supervise the child or young person.

Each case should be considered on its own merits and the most appropriate course of action taken.

When a social worker is made aware of the police’s intention to place a child or young person under s235, finding a suitable placement is the priority as the Police may sometimes deliver the child or young person before adequate arrangements for the child or young person can be made. Close and continued liaison with the Police is necessary to lessen the likelihood of this happening.

Social workers need to be mindful of their own and other safety issues if the Police wish to deliver a child or young person into their custody, especially after-hours and particularly if a suitable placement has not yet been found. In all such cases, the social worker will contact the National Contact Centre supervisor who will provide extra support to the social worker as required.

When placement in a s364 residence is considered during normal working hours, the social worker will contact Residential Services in National Office to check on the availability of a place. The duty social worker is responsible for finding placements after-hours and should always liaise with the National Contact Centre. All sites will maintain an up-to-date list of available options, including trackers and escorts

It is important to capture any work in CYRAS that has been done with a child or young person who is released under s234 or placed with Oranga Tamariki under s235.

Twelve and 13 year olds charged in the Youth Court under certain circumstances are treated as if they are young people (s272). There are some exceptions with regard to custody that are detailed in s272A.

Twelve and 13 year olds may not be held in police custody longer than 24 hours and s236, s238(1)(e), s239(2) and s242(2) do not apply to 12 and 13 year olds charged with an offence. It is important that staff are aware of these exclusions and apply them appropriately.

Section 365(3) requires all less restrictive placements that are reasonably practicable, available and appropriate will be considered for 12 and 13 year olds before a decision can be made to place them in a s364 youth justice residence under s365(1).

Section 236 allows, in limited circumstances, for young people to be held in police cells for a period exceeding 24 hours and until appearance in the Youth Court. First, a s236 certificate must be signed by a Police officer (rank of Sergeant or above) and a supervisor from Oranga Tamariki.

A s236 certificate can only be signed if the Police and Oranga Tamariki agree that:

1. the young person is likely to abscond or be violent, and
2. the chief executive does not have suitable facilities available to detain the young person in safe custody.

A s236 certificate can be entered into prior to the passing of 24 hours in Police custody. A s236 certificate can be signed once the criteria is met (i.e. the young person is assessed as likely to abscond or be violent and the chief executive does not have suitable facilities available).

Before a joint certificate under s236 is considered, the social worker will visit the young person and explore all other non-custodial options in consultation with the young person and family/whānau or caregiver and discuss them with the Police. The social worker will also complete a Substance and Choices Scale (SACS), the Kessler and Suicide/Suicide Risk Assessment screening at that time.

This information will be shared with the supervisor who is responsible for signing the s236 certificate for Oranga Tamariki. The supervisor must consider this information against the criteria for the continued policy custody and make an informed decision about the young person’s situation.

In after-hours situations a National Contact Centre supervisor may be the signatory to the joint certificate. The duty social worker will advise the National Contact Centre supervisor of the current situation and what has been tried to avoid the continued detention of the young person. The National Contact Centre supervisor will take into consideration the view of the duty social worker before agreeing to sign a joint certificate.

If Oranga Tamariki do not agree that the young person is likely to abscond or be violent or if Oranga Tamariki considers that it has suitable facilities to detain the young person in safe custody, then the grounds for a s236 certificate are not met.

If Oranga Tamariki do not agree that the grounds for a s236 certificate are met the young person cannot be detained in police custody and will then be placed in the custody of Oranga Tamariki under s235(2) as the Police have already assessed under s235(1) that the young person cannot be released or bailed under s234.

Under s236, the start time used to calculate the 24 hour period for a young person detained in Police cells for Oranga Tamariki is the time of the arrest. This must be accurately obtained from the Police and recorded in the placement record in CYRAS. The placement record is opened once the s236 joint certificate has been signed.

For every 24 hour period the young person is in police custody the young person must be seen in person by the social worker. The social worker must also complete a Substance and Choices Scale (SACS), the Kessler and Suicide/Suicide Risk Assessment screening and alert the Police to any change in the young person’s mood.

The social worker will continue to look for suitable alternatives to the continued Police custody of the young person. This will include contact every morning with Residential Services in National Office to check on the availability of a place in a s364 (youth justice) residence. It would also be useful to check again in the afternoon as vacancies can occur at short notice. After hours, the National Contact Centre supervisor will negotiate with the closest residence for an emergency bed

Daily contact with the family/whānau is also encouraged as appropriate options for placement within the immediate or extended family may present themselves.

Oranga Tamariki and the Police are required to provide a written report to the chief executive and the Commissioner of Police respectively within five days after the day the s236 certificate was issued. A copy of the report must also be sent to the General Manager, Youth Justice Support, National Office, Oranga Tamariki.

The social worker’s report includes the circumstances in which the certificate came to be issued, and the duration of the period for which the young person has been detained (or is likely to be detained) in police custody.

When the young person appears before the Youth Court, the Oranga Tamariki representative will be fully prepared and able to offer the Court a range of options for the continued detention or otherwise of the young person. The information gathered about the young person during their custody will be important in preparing these options.

Under s238 when a child or young person appears before a Youth Court, there are a range of options for the Court to use when considering custody of the child or young person pending a hearing.

NB for the purposes of s238 (excluding s238(1)(e)), 12 and 13 year olds charged in the Youth Court under certain circumstances are treated as if they are young persons (s272).

Section 238(1)(a)

The Court can release the child or young person with no conditions. Custody reverts to the person or persons who held the custody of the child or young person immediately prior to arrest.

Section 238(1)(b)

The Court can release the child or young person on bail. The child or young person is released on condition that they attend the next court hearing.

There can also be a range of additional bail conditions which must be adhered to in order for the bail to continue. If any condition of bail is breached, a warrant for arrest may be issued and the bail is likely to be revoked.

Conditions can be imposed to ensure the child or young person appears in court at the next set date, does not interfere with witnesses or evidence and does not commit an offence while on bail. (s31 Bail Act 2000). These may include:

• Living at a given address
• Being at that address between given hours and presenting to Police if and when they check (curfew)
• Reporting to the local Police station regularly (often weekly or twice-weekly on a given day)
• Not contacting the complainant, the victim or any prosecution witnesses
• Not contacting or associating with co-offenders
• Not going near a given address (usually the victim’s)
• Not consuming alcohol and/or drugs
• Not driving
• Not leaving the home without parental consent
• Not engaging in an activity without parental consent.

Custody reverts to the person or persons who held custody immediately prior to arrest.

The Court cannot refuse bail to a child or young person because the Court considers that the child or young person is in need of care and protection (s238(2)).

Section 238(1)(c)

The Court can order the child or young person be delivered into the custody of:

• their parents or caregivers or other persons caring for them; or
• any person approved by a social worker – this could be the parents or caregivers, an approved Oranga Tamariki caregiver, a group home or with an organisation providing a care service.

The child or young person is not in the custody of the chief executive under s238(1)(c) as custody is transferred to whomever the Court orders the child or young person to be delivered to.

A status of s238(1)(c) requires that the following checks be completed before a social worker is able to approve the placement of the child or young person:

• Police check of prospective caregiver and all other household occupants aged 17 years and older
• CYRAS check on prospective caregiver and all other household occupants
• Interview with prospective caregiver.

If the Court wishes to grant custody to a person approved by the social worker, it will usually be necessary for the hearing to be adjourned to allow an urgent consideration of the proposed caregiver/s.

There is no board payment obligation for the chief executive in this situation. Refer to the caregiver assessment and approval policy for more information.

Section 238(1)(d)

The Court can order the child or young person to be detained in the custody of the chief executive, an iwi social service, or a cultural social service.

Where the custody is to the chief executive, there is no legal requirement for a child or young person to be placed in a s364 residence. However it is good practice to inform the Court if a community placement is possible or likely.

Where a s364 residence is not considered necessary, a community placement may occur. Full consideration must first be given to the caregiver's capacity to provide an appropriate level of supervision. In particular, the placement must be appropriate to avoid absconding, further offending, loss or destruction of evidence, or interference with any witness (s239). The full caregiver assessment and approval process must be completed.

When a child or young person is placed in the community it is important that they are carefully and clearly informed that they are ‘detained’ in the custody of the chief executive. They are not free to roam and if they do roam or abscond, they commit an offence (under s120 of the Crimes Act 1961).

Each placement should be made on a case by case basis, depending on the circumstances of the child or young person.

Custody is transferred to the chief executive (except when the order is made in favour of an iwi social service or cultural social service).

Section 238(1)(e)

A Court may order a young person (but not a child) to be detained in Police custody.

This order is the highest tariff within the range of s238 orders. The Court must first be satisfied that:

• The young person is likely to abscond or be violent; and
• The chief executive does not have suitable facilities available to detain the young person (in practice this will usually mean a place in a youth justice residence is not immediately available or other circumstances require the young person to be placed or remain in police custody).

When a young person is placed under 238(1)(e), the social worker will continue to look for suitable alternatives to the continued Police custody of the young person.