Section 701.5 Of Chapter 3. Security To Keep The Peace From California Penal Code >> Title 1. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 3.
701.5
. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), no peace officer or
agent of a peace officer shall use a person who is 12 years of age or
younger as a minor informant.
(b) No peace officer or agent of a peace officer shall use a
person under the age of 18 years as a minor informant, except as
authorized pursuant to the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement
Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950) of the Business and
Professions Code) for the purposes of that act, unless the peace
officer or agent of a peace officer has obtained an order from the
court authorizing the minor's cooperation.
(c) Prior to issuing any order pursuant to subdivision (b), the
court shall find, after consideration of (1) the age and maturity of
the minor, (2) the gravity of the minor's alleged offense, (3) the
safety of the public, and (4) the interests of justice, that the
agreement to act as a minor informant is voluntary and is being
entered into knowingly and intelligently.
(d) Prior to the court making the finding required in subdivision
(c), all of the following conditions shall be satisfied:
(1) The court has found probable cause that the minor committed
the alleged offense. The finding of probable cause shall only be for
the purpose of issuing the order pursuant to subdivision (b), and
shall not prejudice the minor in any future proceedings.
(2) The court has advised the minor of the mandatory minimum and
maximum sentence for the alleged offense.
(3) The court has disclosed the benefit the minor may obtain by
cooperating with the peace officer or agent of a peace officer.
(4) The minor's parent or guardian has consented to the agreement
by the minor unless the parent or guardian is a suspect in the
criminal investigation.
(e) For purposes of this section, "minor informant" means a minor
who participates, on behalf of a law enforcement agency, in a
prearranged transaction or series of prearranged transactions with
direct face-to-face contact with any party, when the minor's
participation in the transaction is for the purpose of obtaining or
attempting to obtain evidence of illegal activity by a third party
and where the minor is participating in the transaction for the
purpose of reducing or dismissing a pending juvenile petition against
the minor.