What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in juvenile court?

In juvenile court in Pennsylvania, a misdemeanor is a minor offense that can result in a range of punishments including but not limited to probation, fines, and community service. Generally, these punishments are used to rehabilitate children and to attempt to prevent the same crimes from being committed again. A felony offense, on the other hand, is a more serious offense that puts the juvenile in greater jeopardy of being sentenced to prison or other forms of confinement. Felonies can be punishable by long terms of confinement in a juvenile detention facility or in other forms of adult detention. It is important to note that, while juvenile offenders may commit the same types of crimes as adults, juveniles are typically not charged with crimes as adult offenders are. In most cases, juvenile offenders are treated differently by the court. However, the punishments for juveniles convicted of felony offenses can be more severe than the punishments for adult offenders due to the age of the offender and the impact of the crime.

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