Juvenile Justice Division

• To protect citizens and the community from crimes committed by young people.
• To hold youth who commit crimes accountable for their actions.
• To provide individualized assessments to rehabilitate and prevent further delinquent behavior through the development of educational, vocational, social, emotional and basic life skills which enable youth to grow and mature.
• To provide youth and all other interested parties fair hearings at which legal rights are recognized and enforced.

The court process begins with the filing of a petition. A petition is a legal document that requests that a juvenile court judge declare a child to be a ward of the court because the child is delinquent, or requires authoritative intervention, or is addicted to drugs. Declaring a child to be a ward of the court means that juvenile court has authority or jurisdiction over a child in a similar way that a wise and fair parent has authority over his or her child. Once a petition is filed, a court hearing is held. Juvenile court hearings are formal procedures where a judge hears various aspects of the case presented by the parties so that an appropriate decision can be made by the judge.

If you are involved in a juvenile justice court proceeding, you have the following rights and responsibilities:
 

• The right to be notified of the court proceeding and the right to be present at any court hearing.
• The right to an attorney. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, an attorney will may be appointed to represent you at no cost. If you can afford to contribute toward the cost of the attorney, the court may order you to reimburse the county for all or part of the expense. You must be represented by an attorney in court.
• If you are charged with a crime, you have the right to remain silent and do not have to prove that you are innocent. The State has to prove you guilty of the crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt.
• The right to a trial or hearing and the right to cross-examine witnesses.
• The right to be heard and to present evidence relevant to your case. You may use the subpoena power of the court to command witnesses to appear in court on your behalf.
• The right to examine relevant court files and records.
• The right to be provided with the services of an interpreter, if needed.

Juvenile Justice Guidebook for kids by Models for Change

Juvenile Justice Parent Book