On January 1, 1997, the governor shall appoint a commissioner of juvenile justice. The commissioner may appoint staff assistants and employees as are necessary to enable the commissioner to carry out the transfer of powers, duties and functions of the department of social and rehabilitation services and the secretary of social and rehabilitation services concerning juvenile offenders to the juvenile justice authority and the commissioner of juvenile justice. On and after July 1, 1997, the commissioner of juvenile justice shall be responsible for the care, custody and control of juvenile offenders and shall be in charge of the juvenile justice authority. The juvenile justice authority shall:

(a) Control and manage the operation of the state juvenile correctional facilities;

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(b) evaluate the rehabilitation of juveniles committed to the authority and prepare and submit periodic reports to the committing court for the purposes of:

(1) Evaluating the effectiveness of institutional treatment;

(2) making recommendations for release where appropriate, and recommending terms and conditions for release; and

(3) reviewing the placement of children and recommending alternative placements such as supervised release into the community, out-of-home placement, or community services work where appropriate with the approval of the court.

(c) consult with the schools and courts of this state on the development of programs for the reduction and prevention of delinquency and the treatment of juvenile offenders;

(d) cooperate with other agencies whose services deal with the care and treatment of juvenile offenders to the end that juvenile offenders may wherever possible be assisted to a successful adjustment outside of institutional care;

(e) advise local, state and federal officials, public and private agencies, and lay groups on the needs for and possible methods of the reduction and prevention of delinquency, and the treatment of juvenile offenders;

(f) assemble and distribute information relating to delinquency and report on studies relating to community conditions which affect the problem of delinquency;

(g) assist any community within the state by conducting a comprehensive survey of the community’s available public and private resources, and recommend methods of establishing a community program for combating juvenile delinquency and crime, but no such survey shall be conducted unless local individuals and groups request it through their local authorities, and no such request shall be interpreted as binding the community to following the recommendations made as a result of the request; and

(h) be responsible for directing state moneys to providers in local communities of alternative placements such as supervised release into the community, out-of-home placement, community services work or other community-based service; provide assistance to such providers; and evaluate and monitor the performance of such providers relating to the provision of services.