juvenile law
Minors' legal system
Juvenile law is the body of law governing legal matters involving minors—typically those under eighteen.
It encompasses the juvenile justice system, which handles crimes committed by young people separately from adult courts, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment.
Juvenile law also covers dependency cases involving abuse or neglect, custody disputes, and issues like truancy or curfew violations.
The public defender specialized in juvenile law.
- delinquencyCriminal or neglectful behavior
- detention centersPlaces confining people awaiting proceedings
- group homeSupervised shared residence
- child abuseHarm inflicted on minors
- adjudicationFormal decision on disputes
court appointed · kinship care · truancy laws · rehabilitation · at-risk youth · child advocacy · waiver · restorative justice · emancipation · age of majority · recidivism · protective custody · probation · foster care · neglect · youth courts · guardianship · parental rights
juvenile lawretributive justice
Punishment proportional to offense
mandatory sentencing · criminal prosecution · criminal punishment · penal law · penal code