How are juvenile cases different from adult cases?

Juvenile cases in California are different from adult cases in many ways. Juveniles are not tried and sentenced as adult criminals. When a juvenile is accused of a crime, a court must consider the juvenile’s age, maturity, and level of responsibility before deciding a sentence. The juvenile court system in California focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment for juveniles. The court strives to help the juvenile understand why their behavior is wrong and how to prevent it from happening again. For example, in some cases, the juvenile might be ordered to participate in counseling or community service. Juveniles also have different legal rights from adults. For example, a juvenile cannot be held in custody for as long as an adult, and juvenile proceedings are mostly kept confidential. Additionally, juveniles generally do not have the same constitutional rights as adults, such as the right against self-incrimination. For these reasons, juvenile cases are handled differently than adult cases in California. While adult cases are tried and sentenced in the same way, juvenile cases involve more rehabilitation and involve more lenient sentences. Juveniles also have fewer legal rights, which is why they are treated differently than adult criminals.

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How are juvenile cases different from adult cases?

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