juvenile crime

juvenile court
A juvenile court is a court that handles cases involving crimes committed by
children, or cases involving the health or welfare of children.

Every state has a juvenile system in place. Juvenile courts and their subject
matter jurisdiction are created by state statute, and in most jurisdictions juvenile
proceedings occur in separate courtrooms from traditional proceedings and are
presided over by judges who only hear juvenile cases.

The public is usually barred from these proceedings to protect the privacy of
involved children.
 liable
Criminal liability for juveniles depends on several factors, including age, the nature of the offense, and the
juvenile's capacity to understand right from wrong:

Age: In general, children under the age of 15 are not criminally liable. However, some states may allow
prosecutors to try a minor as an adult for serious offenses.

Capacity: Children must be able to recognize the wrongfulness of their actions and control their behavior.

Discernment: Children under 14 can only be incarcerated if they can demonstrate that they understand the
difference between right and wrong.

Some other factors that may affect a juvenile's criminal liability include:
Alternative sanctions: Juveniles may be offered alternative sanctions, such as community service or training,
instead of prosecution.
Parental responsibility: Parents may be held civilly or criminally liable for their children's actions.
 waive (to adult
court)
A judicial waiver occurs when a juvenile court judge transfers a case from
juvenile to adult court to deny the juvenile the protections that juvenile court
jurisdictions provide.

Usually, the alleged offense must be particularly egregious for the case to be
waived judicially, or there must be a long history of prior offenses and court
interventions.
 Detain

When a juvenile is detained, the process starts with an arrest or referral.

They are held in secure facilities, separate from adults, for no more than six hours in
police stations.
An intake officer reviews the case to decide on dismissal, informal handling, or formal
charges.

A detention hearing follows within 24-48 hours to determine if continued detention is

necessary, considering the offense's severity and the risk of non-appearance.

If the case proceeds, it may involve court hearings and a trial, leading to outcomes
like probation, counseling, or residential placement. The system aims to rehabilitate
young offenders and support their reintegration into society.
 minor
A “minor” is typically someone under the age of 18, although the maximum age for the
juvenile justice system in some states is 17.

People in the juvenile justice system are often referred to as “juvenile delinquents” or
“juvenile offenders.”
The juvenile justice system has different laws and sentencing guidelines than the adult
criminal justice system.

In some cases, a minor may be charged as an adult for serious offenses, such as murder,
attempted murder, or certain sex offenses. However, even in these cases, a court may be
more lenient than it would be for an adult.
 juvenile correctional
facility
Juve­nile deten­tion is short-term con­fine­ment, pri­mar­i­ly used after a youth has been arrest­
ed, but before a court has deter­mined the youth’s inno­cence or guilt.

Pre­tri­al deten­tion is appro­pri­ate only when a court believes a youth to be at risk of com­mit­
ting crimes or flee­ing dur­ing court pro­cess­ing.

A small­er num­ber of young peo­ple are in deten­tion cen­ters after their case has been heard,
while they are wait­ing for either a dis­po­si­tion or a place­ment after a disposition.
 Lecture off the record

An off-the-record lecture between a judge and a juvenile delinquent is an informal

conversation where the judge offers guidance and advice to the young person.

It's not part of the official court proceedings and is meant to be more personal and
supportive. The judge might talk about the juvenile's future, the consequences of their
actions, and ways to make better choices. The goal is to encourage the juvenile to reflect
on their behavior and consider positive changes, emphasizing rehabilitation and personal
growth.
 community service

Community service is a common alternative sentence for juvenile

offenders that involves unpaid work in the community.
It is often used in conjunction with probation supervision, which is
the most common disposition in the juvenile justice system.
 probation

Juvenile probation is a form of community supervision that may include reporting

to a supervisory officer, participating in behavior-change programming, paying
victim restitution, being tested for drug use or other conditions.

Failure to follow these conditions can result in a probation violation, which may
lead to additional conditions, incarceration or other sanctions or incentives to
modify behavior.
 victim
A juvenile crime victim is a person under the age of adulthood
who has experienced a violent crime, abuse, or neglect.

Some of the characteristics of juvenile crime victims include:

Relationship to offender: Victims can be related to their offender
by family, acquaintance, or stranger.
 counseling
Juvenile crime counseling can help guide and support young people who
have been accused or convicted of crimes.

Juvenile court counselors are often the first point of contact for a juvenile
in the court system.

They conduct initial assessments to understand the individual's needs

and risks, and present their findings to the judge.
 criminal record

A juvenile crime criminal record is a record of a violation of the law

committed by a person under 18, which would be considered a crime if
committed by an adult.

However, a juvenile criminal record can have long-lasting consequences

on a person's future, including their education, employment, and personal
life.
 expunged

Expungement is a legal process that removes a criminal record from public view,
making it appear as if the crime never happened. In the case of juvenile records,
expungement can be a way to give a young person a fresh start as an adult.

All states have procedures that allow juveniles to petition to either seal or expunge
their records in certain cases.

In some states, a juvenile has no power to initiate the sealing process because sealing
or expungement can only occur at the direction of the prosecutor or judge.
 MÉXICO - USA

In Mexico, minors who commit crimes are judged in specialized juvenile courts with a
focus on rehabilitation and social reintegration

In New York, minors under 16 can be tried as adults for certain crimes, facing similar
penalties to adults, including prison.

In Florida, minors as young as 14 can be tried as adults for a wide range of offenses,
including non-violent crimes. This often results in long prison sentences in adult
facilities
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