Problem
The primary purpose of the juvenile court is to recognize that juveniles are not adults and that they have different needs. While the adult court is designed to be adversarial and confrontational, the juvenile court focuses on intervention and advocacy and much less on punishment. Occasionally a juvenile commits a crime so serious that the court chooses to adjudicate the young person in the adult court system. This decision is discretionary, but when it is imposed the sentence and the repercussion for the juvenile are comparable to that of any adult. Two juveniles were recently arrested for robbing and killing a man in a Walmart parking lot. The shooter is a sixteen-year-old male who shot the man after the victim had already given up his money and phone. The second juvenile is a fourteen-year-old male who actively participated in the robbery but carried no weapon. Let's review a few concepts before you make a decision about this scenario. Which describes the concept that the state may assume the role as guardian and protector of juveniles who are unable to help themselves?