---
title: O.C.G.A. § 49-4A-17. Introduction of certain items into juvenile detention facility prohibited; commerce with incarcerated youth prohibited; penalty.
collection: code
id: 49-4A-17
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 49-4A-17 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4A-17
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4A-17.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/49-4A-17/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t49-t50-ch1-12-(v38)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=60c992b5_0#page=222
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: SOCIAL SERVICES / DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 49-4A-17. Introduction of certain items into juvenile detention facility prohibited; commerce with incarcerated youth prohibited; penalty.

(a)(1) Without the knowledge and consent of the commissioner or the director in charge of any juvenile detention facility, it shall be unlawful for any person to take into or cause to be introduced into such facility any item which such person has been directed not to take into such center:

(A) Verbally by a staff member of such facility;

(B) In writing by a staff member of such facility; or

(C) As directed by the rules, regulations, or policies of such facility.

(2) Any item taken into a facility in violation of this subsection shall be deemed contraband and shall be subject to being confiscated and retained as property of the department.

(3) Any person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than four years.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to trade or traffic with, buy from, or sell any article to a child assigned to a juvenile detention facility without the knowledge and consent of the commissioner or the director in charge of such facility. Any person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than four years.

## History

Code 1981, § 49-4A-17, enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 1339, § 2/SB 366; Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 3-13/HB 242.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2012, p. 1339, § 3/SB 366, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that this Code section shall apply to offenses committed on or after July 1, 2012.

Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 5-1/HB 242, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2014, and shall apply to all offenses which occur and juvenile proceedings commenced on and after such date. Any offense occurring before January 1, 2014, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such offense and shall be considered a prior adjudication for the purpose of imposing a disposition that provides for a different penalty for subsequent adjudications, of whatever class, pursuant to this Act. The enactment of this Act shall not affect any prosecutions for acts occurring before January 1, 2014, and shall not act as an abatement of any such prosecutions.”