Terminology

The Juvenile Justice System uses deferent terms than does the Adult Criminal Justice System. Here are just a few of the differences.

Justice System Glossary

The following terms may be used in the course of the Juvenile Justice Process.

Adjudication Hearing – (also called a Fact-finding) the trial court proceeding in which it is determined whether the allegations of the Criminal Information are supported by legally admissible evidence.

Arraignment Hearing - The Juvenile is advised of the charges against him/her and enters a plea of guilty or not guilty.

Crime – See Offense.

Criminal Information - the document filed by the State charging a juvenile with a crime.

Cross-examination - questions asked of a witness by the attorney for the party who did not call the witness to testify.

Decline - the sending of a case from the juvenile court to adult court for trial.

Defense Attorney - an attorney employed by the defendant or the Public Defender's Office whose job is to represent the juvenile defendant's interests in criminal proceedings.

Delinquency - the commission of an illegal act by a juvenile. A child is "delinquent" when he/she has been found guilty.

Detention - secured facility run by the juvenile probation department. Adult equivalent is jail.

Discovery - the process by which the prosecutor and defense attorney learn of the evidence the other party will present at trial.

Disposition - In terms of the adult system, this would be known as sentencing.

Fact-finding – See Adjudication Hearing.

First Appearance Hearing - Detention Hearing - a hearing to determine whether a juvenile should be detained or released.

Juvenile - Any individual who is under the chronological age of eighteen years and who has not been previously transferred to adult court or who is otherwise under adult court jurisdiction.

Juvenile offender - Any juvenile who has been found by the juvenile court to have committed an offense, including a person eighteen years of age or older over whom jurisdiction has been extended. 

Juvenile Prosecutor - an attorney employed by the Skamania County Prosecuting Attorney's Office whose job is to prosecute those youth accused of committing offenses in Skamania County.

Juvenile Rehabilitation Authority - The State agency (under the D.S.H.S. system) that manages various secured juvenile facilities. Adult equivalent would be the prison system.

Offense – An act if committed by an adult would constitute a crime.

Plea Agreement - negotiation of an agreement between the prosecuting and defending counsel for an agreed disposition or penalty.

Pre-Adjudication - events that occur before the Adjudication Hearing.

Pre-Adjudication Interviews - informal interviews conducted by the prosecutor or defense attorney before the trial at which victims and witnesses are questioned about their knowledge of the crime(s).

Predisposition Report - a report prepared by a probation officer for the Judge's consideration at the Disposition Hearing. This report includes a review of the juvenile's behavior and family history.

Probation - in juvenile court, a disposition which allows the juvenile to remain at liberty under the supervision of a probation officer. Detention time can be imposed as part of probation.

Probable Cause - a determination made by the Judge as to the likelihood that the juvenile committed the offense.

Respondent - A juvenile who is alleged or proven to have committed an offense

Restitution - financial reimbursement by the offender to the victim.

Subpoena - a legal document requiring the person named in the subpoena to appear on a stated day and time at a specified court to give testimony in a case.

Testimony - a statement or declaration made to establish a fact or facts and given under oath.

Witness - a person who has seen or knows something about the delinquent act.