A peace officer who takes a person under the age of 17 into custody for a fine-only offense may take the person to a place of nonsecure custody.

• A. Only with court order
• B. True
• C. Only if a judge approves
• D. False

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that for juveniles, certain minor offenses allow officers to handle custody in a less restrictive way. Texas law lets a peace officer take a person under 17 into custody for a fine‑only offense and place the juvenile in a place of nonsecure custody. This means the child is not kept in a locked, secure detention setting, but in a nonsecure location while the situation is resolved, such as awaiting release to a parent or guardian or further disposition. No court order or judge approval is required for this specific action when the offense is fine‑only, reflecting a policy to handle minor offenses with the least restrictive appropriate intervention. It’s still important to follow time limits and ensure the child’s safety and contact with a guardian, but the option itself is permitted without additional judicial authorization.