Informal Adjustment in Juvenile Justice System
What is true of informal adjustment?
A. Juveniles must admit guilt for it to apply.
B. It must occur before a juvenile’s case goes to trial.
C. It requires juveniles to spend 90 days in detention.
D. All juveniles are eligible for it.
Tell me if I’m wrong, it must occur before a juvenile’s case goes to trial.
Answer:
A. Juveniles must admit guilt for it to apply.
Informal adjustment is a term used in the juvenile justice system to refer to a process where juveniles can avoid formal court proceedings by admitting their guilt for the offense they have committed. It is not a requirement for juveniles to spend 90 days in detention, and not all juveniles are eligible for informal adjustment.
Unlike the statement mentioned in the question, informal adjustment does not need to occur before a juvenile's case goes to trial. In fact, it is an alternative to formal court proceedings and can take place at any stage of the legal process as long as the juvenile admits their guilt.
By participating in informal adjustment, juveniles can receive counseling, community service, or other forms of rehabilitative programs without going through a trial. This approach aims to prevent young offenders from further involvement in the criminal justice system and provide them with a chance to learn from their mistakes.