Section 15-11-708. (Effective January 1, 2014) Separation of juvenile and adult records for law enforcement; inspection; limited fingerprint access

   (a) Law enforcement records and files concerning a child shall be kept separate from the records and files of arrests of adults.

(b) Unless a charge of delinquency is transferred for criminal prosecution, the interest of national security requires, the case is one in which the general public may not be excluded from the hearings, or the court otherwise orders in the best interests of the child, the records and files shall not be open to public inspection nor shall their contents be disclosed to the public.

(c) Inspection of the records and files shall be permitted by:

   (1) A juvenile court having a child before it in any proceeding;

   (2) The attorney for a party to the proceedings, with the consent of the court;

   (3) The officers of public institutions or agencies to whom a child is committed;

   (4) Law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys of this state, the United States, or any other jurisdiction when necessary for the discharge of their official duties;

   (5) A court in which a child is convicted of a criminal offense, for the purpose of a presentence report or other disposition proceeding;

   (6) Officials of penal institutions and other penal facilities to which a child is committed; or

   (7) A parole board in considering a child's parole or discharge or in exercising supervision over such child.

(d) The court shall allow authorized representatives of DJJ, the Governor's Office for Children and Families, and the Council of Juvenile Court Judges to inspect and copy law enforcement records for the purpose of obtaining statistics on children.

(e) Access to fingerprint records submitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation shall be limited to the administration of criminal justice purposes.

Code 1981, § 15-11-708, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242.