Delinquency|Delinquency Terms
Back to Delinquency“Child” means any individual who is:
(A) Under the age of 18 years;
(B) Under the age of 17 years when alleged to have committed a delinquent act;
(C) Between 18 and 21 years of age and receiving extended care youth services from DFCS; or
(D) Under the age of 21 years who committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 17 years and who has been placed under the supervision of the court or on probation to the court for the purpose of enforcing orders of the court.
“Community supervision officer” means an individual employed by the Department of Community Supervision who supervises probationers who were adjudicated for committing a Class A designated felony act or Class B designated felony act, placed in restrictive custody, and released from such custody.
“Complaint” is the initial document setting out the circumstances that resulted in a child being brought before the court.
"Court” means the juvenile court or the court exercising jurisdiction over juvenile matters.
“Delinquent act” means:
(A) An act committed by a child designated a crime by the laws of this state, or by the laws of another state if the act occurred in that state, under federal laws, or by local ordinance, and the act is not an offense applicable only to a child or a juvenile traffic offense;
(B) The act of disobeying the terms of supervision contained in a court order which has been directed to a child who has been adjudicated to have committed a delinquent act; or
(C) Failing to appear as required by a citation issued for an act that would be a crime if committed by an adult.
“Delinquent child” means a child who has committed a delinquent act and is in need of treatment or rehabilitation.
“DFCS” means the Division of Family and Children Services of the department.
“DJJ” means the Department of Juvenile Justice.
“Informal adjustment” means the disposition of a case other than by formal adjudication and disposition.
“Judge” means the judge of the court exercising jurisdiction over juvenile matters.
“Juvenile court intake officer” means the juvenile court judge, associate juvenile court judge, court service worker, DJJ staff member serving as an intake officer, or person employed as a juvenile probation or intake officer designated by the juvenile court judge or, where there is none, the superior court judge, who is on duty for the purpose of determining whether any child taken into custody should be released or detained and, if detained, the appropriate place of detention.
“Legal custodian” means:
(A) A person to whom legal custody of a child has been given by order of a court; or
(B) A public or private agency or other private organization licensed or otherwise authorized by law to receive and provide care for a child to which legal custody of such child has been given by order of a court.
“Parent” means either the legal father or the legal mother of a child.
“Probation and intake officer” means any probation officer and any personnel of a juvenile court to whom are delegated the duties of an intake officer under this chapter, other than a juvenile court judge, associate juvenile court judge, or court service worker.
“Probation officer” means any personnel of a juvenile court or staff of DJJ to whom are delegated the duties of a probation officer under this chapter, other than a juvenile court judge or associate juvenile court judge.
“Prosecuting attorney” means an attorney designated by the district attorney of the judicial circuit in which juvenile proceedings are instituted, unless otherwise provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 15-18-6.1 .
“Restitution” means any property, lump sum, or periodic payment ordered to be made to any victim. Restitution may also be in the form of services ordered to be performed by a child.
“Restrictive custody” means in the custody of DJJ for purposes of housing in a secure residential facility or nonsecure residential facility.
“Unsupervised probation” means a period of probation or community supervision prior to the termination of a child's disposition in which:
(A) All of the conditions and limitations imposed by the court in placing such child on probation remain intact;
(B) Such child may have reduced reporting requirements; and
(C) A probation officer shall not actively supervise such child.
