§352-10  Circuit court disposition ofoffenders under eighteen years.  The circuit court may commit all offendersunder eighteen years of age, duly convicted before the court, to the Hawaiiyouth correctional facilities in all cases where the court deems the sentenceto be more suitable than the punishment otherwise authorized by law.  In such acase, when the term of confinement ordered by the court extends beyond theoffender's eighteenth birthday, the offender shall, upon reaching the age ofeighteen, be committed to the custody of the department of public safety forcompletion of the sentence.  Persons committed to the Hawaii youth correctionalfacilities under this section may be furloughed or paroled by the director,unless the commitment order issued by the court requires prior approval by thecourt or unless the offender is subject to a mandatory term of imprisonmentwhich term has not yet expired. [L 1980, c 303, pt of §8(1); am L 1997, c 318,§1]