What is the difference between juvenile and adult court?

In North Carolina, there is a big difference between juvenile and adult court. The main distinction is the purpose of each court system. In juvenile court, the focus is on rehabilitating the juvenile offender, while in adult court the primary goal is to punish the adult for their offense. In juvenile court, proceedings take place in a less formal atmosphere than adult court and the rules of evidence are much less restrictive. The accused juvenile does not have the right to a trial by jury and does not have the right to remain silent as in adult court. Furthermore, the juvenile’s identity is kept confidential by law. When it comes to sentencing, juveniles may be sentenced to a variety of rehabilitation services and community service rather than incarceration. This helps the juvenile learn from his or her mistakes, rather than being punished and possibly furthering the cycle of criminal behavior. Another difference between juvenile and adult court is the amount of time that a juvenile is required to wait before his or her case can be tried. In adult court, the defendant’s case is typically heard within 30 days of the arrest. However, a juvenile case can often take months or even years, depending on the particular facts of the case. Lastly, the appeal process is also different between juvenile and adult court. Appeals in juvenile court are limited to a review of the lower court’s decision, while appeals in adult court may be heard by a higher court.

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What is the difference between juvenile and adult court?

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