Juvenile delinquency in a Pennsylvania criminal defense case is the term that's used to determine if a juvenile offender would be deemed delinquent and say in need of supervision of the court. The goal of the juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania is to treat, rehabilitate, and supervise juvenile offender.
A juvenile does not necessarily have to be adjudicated delinquent or the court saying that this young person has delinquency issues in order to receive the services of the court. Court can adjudicate a young person delinquent or can take other steps such as deferring adjudication or providing a consent decree. The district attorney's office is, of course, involved but either way, the fundamental goal of the juvenile justice system is to treat, rehabilitate, and supervise a juvenile offender to help them get back on track.
That being said, the consequences can be profound both in the short and long term. Having an experienced Pennsylvania juvenile defense attorney will be your best ally to help you understand and navigate the juvenile criminal process.
