Sec. 1. 15 MRSA §3003, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:

2-B.__Assessment evaluation.__"Assessment evaluation" means an immediate evaluation of a juvenile to assess the risks the juvenile may pose and to determine the needs the juvenile may have, which must include, but is not limited to, educational, vocational, psychological, psychiatric and substance abuse examinations.

Sec. 2. 15 MRSA §3301, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1985, c. 439, §11, is further amended to read:

1. Preliminary investigation and assessment evaluation. When a juvenile accused of having committed a juvenile crime is referred to a juvenile caseworker, the juvenile caseworker shall, except in cases in which an investigation is conducted pursuant to Title 5, section 200-A, conduct a preliminary investigation and shall cause an assessment evaluation to be made to determine whether the interests of the juvenile or of the community require that further action be taken.

On the basis of the preliminary investigation and assessment evaluation, the juvenile caseworker shall:

A. Decide that no further action is required, either in the interests of the public or of the juvenile;

B. Make whatever informal adjustment is practicable without a petition; or

C. Request a petition to be filed.

Sec. 3. 15 MRSA §3301, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1997, c. 350, §1 and c. 421, Pt. A, §2, is further amended to read:

5. Juvenile caseworker alternatives. On the basis of the preliminary investigation and the assessment evaluation, the juvenile caseworker shall choose one of the following alternatives:

A. Decide that no further action is required either in the interests of the public or of the juvenile. If the juvenile caseworker determines that the facts in the report prepared for the caseworker by the referring officer pursuant to section 3203- A, subsection 3, are sufficient to file a petition, but in the caseworker's judgment the interest of the juvenile and the public will be served best by providing the juvenile with services voluntarily accepted by the