States vary in their billing of guardians for youths' detention
Here's a look at how the 10 states with the largest juvenile probation populations handle whether to bill families for the cost of detaining a youth:
California: State law allows counties to set and charge a daily probation fee to families deemed able to pay.
Texas: Does not charge daily probation fees. Juvenile court judges can order a family to pay, but usually do not.
Florida: State law allows juvenile court judges to charge families a cost-of-care fee of $1 a day for probation, $5 a day for detention or residential housing. The amount judges bill varies.
Pennsylvania: State law requires counties to seek all available money from parents before tapping the state to pay for residential probation. Counties' domestic relations departments determine how much to bill parents, usually based on a sliding scale similar to child support.
New York: Does not charge daily probation fees.
Ohio: Does not charge daily probation fees. The state allows counties to redirect child support payments to pay the cost of holding a youth in probation.
Michigan: State law allows juvenile court judges to bill parents or legal guardians the cost of care, based on a sliding scale and the ability to pay, for a youth during detention, with daily rates set by detention facilities, usually a fraction of total costs.
Illinois: State law allows county juvenile court judges to bill parents and legal guardians a fee for the time a youth is detained.
Georgia: Does not charge daily probation fees.
Indiana: State law allows county courts to seek reimbursement from families for children held in detention unless judges find parents are unable to pay or justice would not be served by ordering payment. The amount judges bill varies, averaging $25 a month.
Molly Hennessy-Fiske
13 February 2009
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-probationsidebar14-2009feb14,0,6516912.story
