What is the difference between a juvenile offender and a youthful offender?
The difference between a juvenile offender and a youthful offender in Washington is that a juvenile offender is any person under 18 years of age. A youthful offender is an individual between the ages of 18 and 24 who has committed a crime which would be considered a juvenile offense if committed by a person under 18. The Washington Juvenile Crimes Law states that any juvenile offender will be handled in the juvenile justice system, which focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment. This system offers court-based services, such as mental health counseling, to help reduce the chances of the juvenile re-offending. A juvenile offender who is found guilty or pleads guilty will often be placed on probation, which includes meeting certain requirements such as attending school or obtaining a job. On the other hand, a youthful offender will be tried and sentenced in the adult court system. In this system, offenders found guilty or pleading guilty will typically receive a harsher sentence than a juvenile offender would, as punishment is seen as a more effective way of deterring future criminal behavior. Overall, the differences between a juvenile offender and a youthful offender in Washington lie in the age of the offender, the type of court the offender will be tried in, the type of outcome the offender could receive, and the way the outcome is used to prevent future criminal behavior.
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