| A | B |
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| parens patriae | Latin for "parent of the country"; the doctrine that allows the government to take care of minors and others who cannot legally take care of themselves |
| delinquent offenders | minors who have committed an act that, if committed by an adult, would be a crime under federal, state or local law |
| status offenders | minors who have committed an act that would not be a crime if committed by an adult, such as truancy from school, running away from home, or being habitually disobedient. |
| neglected children | children whose parent or guardian failed to properly feed, clothe, shelter, educate or tend to the medical needs of a child |
| juvenile waiver | allows juvenile court judges to send juveniles to adult court (dependingon the charge and after a hearing) for prosecution |
| statutory exclusion | requires certain offenses committed by juveniles to be prosecuted in adult court |
| direct file | give prosecutors discretion to file charge against juveniles in adult criminal court |
| intake | the informal process in which court officials or social workers decide if a complain against a juvenile should be referred to juvenile court |
| youth court | a court proceeding for sentencing minors who have taken responsibility for their actions. The system aims to involve the community directly and to teach the young offenders the impact of their acts |
| restorative justice | a concept in criminal justice that emphasizes reparatio to the victim or the affecgted members of the community by the offender, as by cash payment or by community service |
| initial hearing | a preliminary examination of the validity of a youth's arrest, during which the state must prove that an offense was committed and that there is reasonable cause to believe the accused youth committed it. |
| preventative detention | holding a person (such as a juvenile) against his or her will without bail until trial because of the likelihood that the individual will commit another crime |
| adjudicatory hearing | the procedure used to determine the facts in a juvenile case; similar to an adult trial, but generally closed to the public |
| dispositional hearing | hearing where the judge decides what sentence the offender should receive. Usually based primarily on the predisposition report prepared by the probation department. |
| aftercare | the equivalent of parole in the juvenile justice system. A juvenile is supervised and assisted by a parole officer or social worker. |
| expunged | to seal or destroy a criminal record. |
