§49-2-902. Division of Juvenile Services; transfer of functions; juvenile placement.

(a) The Division of Juvenile Services is created within the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. The director shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall be responsible for the control and supervision of each of its offices. The director may appoint deputy directors and assign them duties as may be necessary for the efficient management and operation of the division.

(b) The Division of Juvenile Services consists, at a minimum, of three subdivisions:

(1) The Office of Juvenile Detention, which is responsible for operating and maintaining centers for the predispositional detention of juveniles, including juveniles who have been transferred to adult criminal jurisdiction pursuant to part eight, article four of this chapter and juveniles who are awaiting transfer to a juvenile corrections facility;

(2) The Office of Juvenile Corrections, which is also responsible for operating and maintaining juvenile corrections facilities; and

(3) The Office of Community-Based Services, shall provide at a minimum, masters level therapy services; family, individual and group counseling; community service activities; transportation; and aftercare programs.

(c) Notwithstanding any provisions of this code to the contrary, whenever a juvenile is ordered into the custody of the Division of Juvenile Services, the director may place the juvenile while he or she is in the division's custody at whichever facility operated by the division is deemed by the director to be most appropriate considering the juvenile's well-being and any recommendations of the court placing the juvenile in the division's custody.