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Simple English definitions for legal terms
juvenile court
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A quick definition of juvenile court:
A juvenile court is a special court that deals with kids who have done something wrong or who need help. It's different from regular courts because only judges who work with kids hear the cases. The court is private, which means that only the people who need to be there are allowed in. The judge talks to the kid to understand what happened and how they feel. The judge decides what should happen next, like if the kid needs to go to a special program or if they need to be punished. Sometimes, if the kid did something really bad, they might have to go to a regular court and be treated like an adult.
A more thorough explanation:
A juvenile court is a type of court that deals with cases involving children who have committed crimes or cases related to the health and welfare of children. Each state has its own juvenile court system, which is created by state law. Juvenile courts are different from regular courts and are usually presided over by judges who only hear juvenile cases. The public is not allowed to attend these proceedings to protect the privacy of the children involved.
Judges in juvenile court typically make decisions about cases, as jury trials are rare. This is because a jury trial would be expensive and would put the child and the government in an adversarial position. Juvenile courts are less formal than regular courts and focus on rehabilitating the child rather than punishing them. The judge may speak directly to the child to better understand their mindset and attitude and has more discretion in choosing a punishment.
If a child commits a particularly violent or serious crime, a juvenile court judge may recommend that they be tried as an adult. Some states have laws that automatically require juveniles who commit certain crimes to be tried as adults. These children are considered to be less receptive to the rehabilitative philosophy of the juvenile court system.
Example: A 15-year-old boy is caught stealing from a store. He is taken to juvenile court, where the judge decides that he should attend counseling and perform community service instead of going to jail. This punishment is meant to help the boy learn from his mistake and become a better member of society.
Example: A 17-year-old girl is arrested for assault. The judge in juvenile court decides that the crime was serious enough to warrant a trial as an adult. The girl is then tried in a regular court and receives a harsher punishment than she would have in juvenile court.
These examples illustrate how juvenile court is different from regular court and how it focuses on rehabilitating children rather than punishing them. The first example shows how a judge in juvenile court may choose a punishment that is meant to help the child learn from their mistake and become a better person. The second example shows how a juvenile court judge may recommend that a child be tried as an adult if the crime is serious enough.