Once adjudicated delinquent, how is a juvenile’s case handled by the court?
After an adjudication of delinquency, the court conducts a dispositional hearing at which the judge must consider reports of social, medical, psychological and educational information about the juvenile to determine which of the authorized dispositions are appropriate. After adjudication, the reports are made available to the judge and to the juvenile to allow the juvenile to present evidence as to which disposition is preferable.The various dispositional options are organized into 3 levels. Level 1 (community dispositions) includes probation, community service, and a variety of other options. Level 2 (intermediate dispositions) includes intensive probation, more hours of community service, and a number of other options that are more severe than those in Level 1. Level 3 has only one disposition, placement in a youth development center. A chart in the Juvenile Code tells the judge which level or levels the judge may choose from in selecting a disposition in a particular case, based on
