A bill in the Maine State Legislature would allow children under 18 charged with crimes as adults to stay in juvenile detention.

The measure submitted by the state Department of Corrections would let the department ask a court to keep a person in juvenile detention until they turn 21.

Democratic Representative Sue Salisbury of Westbrook is sponsoring the bill, which was referred to the Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee.

The Press Herald reports the proposal received a hearing in the committee Monday, where associate commissioner for the Department of Corrections’ juvenile services Christine Thibeault testified that it would benefit the well being of certain young inmates facing adult charges, especially if they have particular behavioral or mental health needs.

Those inmates would stay at the state’s only juvenile detention facility, Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.

Maine law currently calls for juveniles being tried as adults to move to an adult jail when they turn 18, even if they are appealing the adult charges. The change would allow those inmates to stay in juvenile detention during the appeals process until age 21.

The bill would also allow the Department of Corrections to rescind its request at any time and send the teen to adult jail.