Section 601 Status Offenders

601 Truancy & Status Offender Youth

Section 601 Status Offenders have committed offenses that a youth could not get in trouble for if committed as an adult.

Services are provided to youth who have truancy issues and are beyond parental control. A referral is made by a school official or a law enforcement officer through a citation to the appropriate agency.

School Attendance Review Board (SARB)

The SARB is for youth attending elementary or middle school and have habitual truancy issues. The SARB is made up of community and school representatives who will determine if services can help the youth and his/her family resolve the truancy issues, or if the situation requires a juvenile court petition.

A parent could be required to take the youth to school every day, pay fines, attend parenting classes, or a criminal complaint could be filed.

School Attendance Mediation (SAM)

If a youth attends high school, has received three truancy letters, and has failed to show any improvements in attendance during the school year, the youth and family may sign a contract that is valid for an entire calendar year at a SAM hearing to focus on improving attendance.

If the student violates the contract, the case is referred to a Truancy Officer, who then proceeds to file a 601 (b) W&I Truancy Petition with the Juvenile Court.

601 Truancy Court

The Truancy Officer communicates to the Judge regarding how the youth is doing in school, and reports monthly or bimonthly depending on the severity of the case. If there is no improvement, a trial date is set. The youth can then be declared a habitual truant by the Judge and can be placed on 601(b) W&I probation for six months. Terms could include community service, curfew, and delay or suspension of a driver’s license.

If a Youth Is Contacted by Law Enforcement

If a youth is contacted by law enforcement, a police officer issues the youth a citation and then releases the youth to his/her parent. If released to parent, the Probation Department will review the case to determine the appropriate level of intervention.

The Probation Department will contact the youth and parent/guardian regarding the case, or a police officer will arrest the youth and take them to the Placer County Juvenile Detention Facility. The probation officers will assess the youth at intake to determine if the youth can be released to his/her parent or remain detained.

Released to Parent with a Citation

The following is the process for releasing a youth to parent with a citation:

  1. A crime is reported to law enforcement.
  2. Law enforcement will conduct an investigation.
  3. The youth is physically detained and searched.
  4. Citation issued and youth released to parent with a possible Promise to Appear in court.
  5. The law enforcement report is then forwarded to the Probation Department for review.

Probation Department Review Process

A Probation Officer will review the law enforcement report to determine seriousness of the case and the appropriate level of probation services.

The case can be referred to:

  • Alternative Intervention Program (AIP)
  • Citation Hearing
  • District Attorney for prosecution
  • Law Enforcement Diversion Program
  • Traffic Hearing