26-11A-20. Grounds for discharge of juvenile--Department's jurisdiction ends at age twenty-one.

The secretary of corrections may discharge a juvenile from the Department of Corrections upon the following:

(1)    As a reward for good conduct and upon satisfactory evidence of reformation;

(2)    As a result of a conviction for a new crime as an adult, if the juvenile is placed on adult probation or sentenced to the county jail or a state correctional facility;

(3)    If the juvenile, upon reaching the age of majority, lives outside the jurisdiction of the State of South Dakota and the interstate compact on juveniles is not available due to the juvenile's age or circumstances; or

(4)    If the juvenile is on aftercare and has a suitable placement, and a discharge is determined to be in the best interests of the juvenile.

No adjudicated juvenile may remain within the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections beyond the age of twenty-one years. The discharge of a juvenile from the Department of Corrections constitutes a complete release from all penalties, excluding unpaid fines, fees, or restitution.

Source: SL 1996, ch 172, § 73; SL 2007, ch 163, § 6; SL 2023, ch 82, § 96.