News Release
For Immediate Release
May 8, 2001
 

Legislation Authorizing Searches by Juvenile Probation Officers Clears Committee

HARRISBURG—The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Senate Bill 224, a measure authorizing juvenile probation officers to conduct warrantless searches of juveniles under their supervision.

Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf, sponsor of the bill, said that a juvenile probation officer with a reasonable suspicion that a juvenile under supervision possesses contraband or other evidence of a violation of the conditions of probation may conduct a search of the individual and his or her property. Property would include a residence, a vehicle or personal property in the possession or under the control of the juvenile. A written report would be required and would be filed with the juvenile’s case record after a property search.

The legislation is modeled on a measure enacted during the 1995 Special Session on Crime that provided county adult probation and parole officers and state parole agents with the authority to conduct warrantless searches.

Greenleaf said the bill has the support of the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission and the Pennsylvania Association on Probation, Parole, and Corrections. The legislation was approved by the full Senate in the previous session.