Frequently Asked Questions about Juvenile Justice System Structure & Process

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities

Related FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide the latest answers to commonly asked questions about Juvenile Justice System Structure and Process. Here you will find information on the jurisdictional boundaries for delinquency and status offenses, the organization and administration of delinquency services, and State provisions for trying certain youth as adults in criminal court.

Jurisdictional Boundaries

What is a juvenile? [Answer]
What are the upper and lower ages of delinquency and status offense jurisdiction? [Answer]
Do juvenile courts lose jurisdiction over youth when they turn 18? [Answer]
What types of violations constitute a status offense in each state? [Answer]
How are status offenders classified in each state? [Answer]
Are delinquency cases and status offenses handled by the same court? [Answer]

Organization & Administration of Delinquency Services

How do states define the purpose of their juvenile justice system? [Answer]
How do states operate delinquency services (detention, community supervision, and reentry)? [Answer]
How are detention services operated in each state? [Answer]
How are supervision (probation) services operated in each state? [Answer]
What type of agency controls the operation of state commitment facilities? [Answer]
How are aftercare services operated in each state? [Answer]
Are adjudicated youth ever committed to public detention centers? [Answer]
What are the most commonly used residential placement options for committed youth? [Answer]

Juveniles Tried as Adults

Are transfer (waiver) laws the only laws that enable states to impose adult sanctions on minors? [Answer]
How do judicial waiver criteria vary by state? [Answer]
How do prosecutorial discretion (concurrent jurisdiction) provisions vary by state? [Answer]
How do statutory exclusion provisions vary by state? [Answer]
How do juvenile court blended sentencing provisions vary by state? [Answer]
What is the youngest age that a minor can be transferred to criminal court for trial as an adult? [Answer]
Have states made it easier for juveniles to be tried as adults in criminal court? [Answer]