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Youth Justice Act 2005
31Non-intimate procedure
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31 Non-intimate procedure
(1) A police officer may carry out a non-intimate procedure on a youth
in the following circumstances:
(a) the youth is suspected by a police officer, on reasonable
grounds, of having committed an indictable offence;
(b) the youth has been charged with an offence punishable by
imprisonment;
against the youth for an offence punishable by imprisonment;
of an offence punishable by imprisonment being brought
against the youth by summons.
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(2) The non-intimate procedure may be carried out:
(a) if the approval of a Local Court Judge is obtained; or
(b) if the approval of a senior police officer is obtained.
(3) A senior police officer must not approve the procedure unless he or
she is satisfied the youth is 14 years of age or older.
(4) A police officer may apply to a Local Court Judge or a senior police
officer for the approval:
(5) The Local Court Judge or senior police officer may approve a non-
intimate procedure being carried out after hearing the police officer
and the youth to whom the application relates.
(b) specify the non-intimate procedure that may be carried out.
(7) The Local Court Judge or senior police officer must give or send a
copy of the approval to the police officer as soon as practicable.
(8) The police officer may proceed under the approval despite not
having received it if he or she is informed of the approval by the
Local Court Judge or senior police officer by telephone.
(9) If the non-intimate procedure is the taking of a sample by buccal
swab, the police officer must direct the youth to provide the sample.
(10) If the youth does not comply by providing a sample sufficient to
enable an analysis of it to be carried out, the police officer may take
the sample.
(11) The police officer may use reasonable force in carrying out the
non-intimate procedure.
Note for subsection (11)
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