Chapter 13 - The Juvenile Justice System

Question 1

parens patriae

Answer 1

a doctrine that holds that the state has a responsibility to look after the well-being of children and to assume the role of parent if necessary

Question 2

status offender

Answer 2

a juvenile who has engaged in behavior deemed unacceptable for those under a certain statutorily determined age

Question 3

juvenile delinquency

Answer 3

behavior that is illegal under federal or state law that has been committed by a person who is under an age limit specified by statute

Question 4

bullying

Answer 4

overt acts taken by students with the goal of intimidating , harassing, or humiliating other students

Question 5

aging out

Answer 5

a term used to explain the fact that criminal activity declines with age

Question 6

age of onset

Answer 6

the age at which a juvenile first exhibits delinquent behavior

Question 7

child abuse

Answer 7

mistreatment of children by causing physical, emotional, or sexual damage without any plausible explanation, such as an accident

Question 8

child neglect

Answer 8

a form of child abuse in which the child is denied certain necessities such as shelter, food, care, and love

Question 9

youth gang

Answer 9

a self-formed group of youths with several identifiable characteristics, including a gang name and other recognizable symbols, a geographic territory, and participation in illegal activities

Question 10

low-visibility decision making

Answer 10

a term used to describe the discretionary power police have in determining what to do with misbehaving juveniles

Question 11

referral

Answer 11

the notification process through which a law enforcement officer or other concerned citizen makes the juvenile court aware of a juvenile’s unlawful or unruly conduct

Question 12

intake

Answer 12

the process by which an official of the court must decide whether to file a petition, release the juvenile, or place the juvenile under some other form of supervision

Question 13

petition

Answer 13

the document filed with a juvenile court alleging that the juvenile is a delinquent or a status offender and requesting that the court either hear the case or transfer it to an adult court

Question 14

judicial waiver

Answer 14

the process in which the juvenile judge, based on the facts of the case at hand, decides that the alleged offender should be transferred to adult court

Question 15

automatic transfer

Answer 15

the process by which a juvenile is transferred to adult court as a matter of state law

Question 16

prosecutorial waiver

Answer 16

a procedure used in situations where the prosecutor has discretion to decide whether a case will be heard by a juvenile court or an adult court

Question 17

detention

Answer 17

the temporary custody of a juvenile in a secure facility after a petition has been filed and before the adjudicatory process begins

Question 18

detention hearing

Answer 18

a hearing to determine whether a juvenile should be detained, or remain detained, while waiting for the adjudicatory process to begin

Question 19

adjudicatory hearing

Answer 19

the process through which a juvenile court determines whether there is sufficient evidence to support the initial petition

Question 20

disposition hearing

Answer 20

similar to the sentencing hearing for adults, a hearing in which the juvenile judge or officer decides the appropriate punishment for a youth found to be delinquent or a status offender

Question 21

predisposition report

Answer 21

a report prepared during the disposition process that provides the judge with relevant background material to aid in the disposition decision

Question 22

graduated sanctions

Answer 22

the practical theory in juvenile corrections that a delinquent or status offender should receive a punishment that matches in seriousness the severity of the wrongdoing

Question 23

residential treatment program

Answer 23

a government-run facility for juveniles whose offenses are not deemed serious enough to warrant incarceration in a training school

Question 24

boot camp

Answer 24

a variation on traditional shock incarceration in which juveniles (and some adults) are sent to secure confinement facilities modeled on military basic training camps instead of prison or jail

Question 25

training school

Answer 25

a correctional institution for juveniles found to be delinquent or status offenders

Question 26

aftercare

Answer 26

the variety of therapeutic, educational, and counseling programs made available to juvenile delinquents ( and some adults) after they have been released from a correctional facility