In numerous states, specific laws which govern how juvenile offenders are treated in the court and prison systems are separate "from the criminal code used for adult offenders," a situation which can often be found in other state correctional systems. Of course, all those convicted of crimes against society "must be held accountable for their actions," yet when dealing with young offenders, most state courts seems to stress this idea to the maximum while also taking in account that "the basis of a sound juvenile justice system lies in getting to the root causes of delinquent and law-breaking behavior," meaning that early intervention is far more important for young offenders that it is for older offenders. Basically, much more emphasis is placed on treatment programs, education...
One of these is truancy which generally applies to juveniles who skip school on a daily basis. Of course, this "offense" does not apply to adults, simply because they are of legal age. Also, the length of
probation varies greatly between juvenile and adult offenders and in the case of young people, probation "cannot extend beyond their 18th birthday," while with adult offenders, probation can and usually does extend for longer period of time depending on the severity and
nature of the crime committed ("Juvenile
Services," 2007, Internet).
References
Juveniles in the Adult System." (2007). Internet. Retrieved at http://law.jrank.org/pages/1532/Juveniles-in-Adult-System-Youthfulness-proportional-punishment-death-penalty.html.
Juvenile Services: FAQ's about the Dallas Juvenile Department." (2007). Internet. Retrieved at http://www.dallascounty.org/department/juvenile/faqs.htm.
