Tennessee § 37-5-123 - Notification of release of juvenile offender.

§ 37-5-123. Notification of release of juvenile offender.

The department of children's services shall provide or contract with a private entity to provide to members of the public who have made a notification request, notification of the release of a juvenile adjudicated to have committed a delinquent act that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult from a facility operated by or under contract with the department to home placement as defined in § 37-1-102 [See compiler's note]. The chief administrator, or a person designated by the chief administrator, of a facility operated under contract with the department shall make available to the department, or any private entity under contract with the department, the information necessary to implement this section in a timely manner. The department, or the private entity under contract with the department, shall be responsible for retrieving the information and notifying the requester in accordance with regulations promulgated by the department. The department may refuse the notification request of a person if, on a case by case basis, it finds that notification of release is not in the best interests of the juvenile being released and that such notification may result in harm to the juvenile. The department shall promulgate rules in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, to implement the provisions of this section. Notwithstanding §§ 37-1-145, 37-1-155 or 37-5-107 to the contrary, this section shall require the release of information relating to juveniles who have been adjudicated to have committed a delinquent act that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult. The release of information shall be limited to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of this section. Acts 1998, ch. 968, § 2. Compiler's Notes. Acts 1998, ch. 968, § 3 provided full implementation of the notification program established by this act and full public access to such information shall take place by July 1, 1999. The definition of “home placement”, as referenced in the first sentence of subdivision (a)(1), was deleted from section 37-1-102 by Acts 2011, ch. 486, § 1 effective July 1, 2011.