The length of time that a juvenile will be on probation in Pennsylvania will vary. The goal of the juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania is to treat, rehabilitate and supervise the juvenile offender to make certain that they get to a point where they could succeed and continue forward in life in a positive manner. The juvenile court through the probation department, the probation officer would be supervising the juvenile offender would be checking up on him or her to make certain that they're listening to their parents at home, listening to their family at home, going to school every day, doing as well as possible in school, staying out of further trouble, whatever conditions may be imposed as part of probation that the conditions are being completed.
Generally speaking, a rule of thumb is that probation will last for approximately six months. If a juvenile is doing well, the case, it would not be unreasonable for the case to be discharged at that time. In some instances, in the cases of deferred adjudication say in Philadelphia, for example, it may be as short as two to three months. If a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent and they require a higher level of supervision, the probation can last longer. It can last for longer than a year.
If they're going to be placed in the residential treatment facility, a structured school setting, for example, it could last a year, a year and a half. Having an experienced juvenile defense attorney will help you best understand and navigate the juvenile process and they should be involved from as early as possible in the case.
