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Frequently
Asked Questions
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What
is a Juvenile? |
| A
juvenile is any individual who is under the chronological age of eighteen
years and has not been previously transferred to adult court. |
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What
is a Juvenile Offender? |
| A
Juvenile offender is any juvenile who has been found by the juvenile court to
have committed an offense. |
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What
is Juvenile Court? |
| Juvenile
court is where a judge decides what happens to juveniles accused of breaking
the law, or whose parents cannot care for them, or whose behavior makes them
"at risk" or "in need of services."
Counties
operate the juvenile courts in Washington State, and they all follow the same
laws. However, even though they follow these same laws, most county
juvenile courts have their own way of doing this. |
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Parents
and Juvenile Court |
| The
term "parent" as used here means the juvenile's parent, legal
guardian, or custodian.
Parents
are an important part of juvenile court. Studies show that when a parent
goes to a diversion meeting or comes to court, the juvenile has a better
chance of staying out of trouble in the future. |
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