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38-501. Establishment by county commissioners; petition; election. (a) The county commissioners of any county having a population of more than 20,000 may provide a detention home or juvenile farm for the purpose of caring for children who are under 18 years of age and who are delinquent, miscreant, juvenile offenders, wayward, deprived or children in need of care.

(b) Upon presentation to the board of county commissioners of any county of this state of a petition signed by at least 15% of the voters of the county, the board shall call an election to be held at the date of the next general election and shall submit at such election the question of establishing a detention home or juvenile farm. The question shall appear upon the ballot as follows:

For the detention home (or juvenile farm) ........................... ☐

Against the detention home (or juvenile farm) .................... ☐

If a majority of the votes cast for and against such proposition shall be in favor of such establishment, the board of county commissioners shall proceed to establish the same as herein provided.

(c) In the establishment of a detention home or juvenile farm or in any home or farm previously established, the commissioners shall provide separate quarters for those children who are delinquent, miscreant or juvenile offenders and those children who are wayward, deprived or children in need of care. Until a properly equipped juvenile farm has been provided, the county commissioners may lease or rent a suitable building or part thereof, for a term not to exceed five years, to be used for those purposes.

History: L. 1907, ch. 177, § 7; L. 1923, ch. 108, § 1; R.S. 1923, 38-501; L. 1976, ch. 145, § 163; L. 1983, ch. 140, § 8; July 1.