What is the difference between juvenile court and adult court?

The difference between juvenile court and adult court in California lies in the different processes and goals each system has. Juvenile court is designed to focus on rehabilitation and providing a safe, structured environment for minors to learn from their mistakes. Because of this, juvenile court focuses on providing the youth with the training and education necessary to grow and not repeat their mistakes. These lessons can include anger management, conflict resolution, and substance abuse counseling. On the other hand, adult court has a more punitive focus. It seeks to punish offenders with jail time and fines, while also preventing future crimes. For example, in cases of felony convictions, a judge may send an adult offender to prison, impose a fine, or order probation. In addition to different goals and processes, juvenile court and adult court also have different rules. In juvenile court, hearings are more private, with proceedings usually closed to the public. Furthermore, the names of the minors involved in a hearing remain confidential. Adult court, on the other hand, is open to the public and names of offenders are released to the media. Overall, the main difference between juvenile court and adult court is that juvenile court is focused on providing minors with the tools to prevent future crimes, while adult court is focused on punishing offenders and preventing future crimes.

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