Florida Juvenile Justice and Delinquency — A Quick Overview of the Process
Derived from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, the following flowchart and information are provided as a quick overview of Florida’s juvenile justice process. You can find cases and additional resources at the bottom of this page.
| Contact With Law Enforcement | The youth is discovered participating in a delinquent act and a law enforcement officer gets involved. |
| Civil Citation | A new program designed to address a youth’s behavior at his or her first encounter with the juvenile justice system providing an alternative to arrest. A civil citation is issued to the youth. |
| Taken into Custody | In the juvenile justice system, youth are taken into custody; whereas, adults are arrested. Once in custody, youth are referred to their local Juvenile Assessment Center or an on-call screener and the family is notified. |
| Referral to Diversion Program | A program designed to keep a youth from entering the juvenile justice system through the legal process. |
| Referral to Adult Court | Court for adults over the age of 18 or for a youth charged with a crime as an adult. Youth in adult court may be sentenced to either youth or adult sanctions. |
| (JDAI) Referral to Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative | A detention reform and juvenile justice system improvement initiative that focuses on moving low-risk youth from secure detention into community-based alternative programs. JDAI is a comprehensive initiative of eight strategies involving system-wide change in philosophy, practice and policy in coordination with the local jurisdiction level and state level. |
| (DRAI) Detention Risk Assessment Instrument | The instrument used to determine if a youth meets detention criteria and to determine whether a youth should be placed in secure, non-secure, or home detention care prior to a detention hearing. |
| Secure Detention Center | Depending on the risk level, youth may be required to stay in a secure detention center until further action is determined. |
| Await Court Date At Home | Depending on the risk level, youth may be allowed to await their court dates at home under certain court ordered conditions. |
| Case Dropped “Nolle Prossed” | A discontinued prosecution. A formal entry by the state attorney that a case will not be prosecuted. |
| Adjudication Withheld | The court finds that a youth committed a delinquent act, but withholds an adjudication of delinquency. The court places the youth on community supervision. |
| Youth Adjudicated | The court finds a youth guilty of committing a delinquent act. The court can commit the youth or place the youth on community supervision. |
| Development of a YES Plan | The Youth-Empowered Success (YES) Plan assist the Juvenile Probation Officers and contracted case managers to use the information gathered through the PACT assessment to establish meaningful goals and actions in collaboration with the youth and family. The youth will either be released or sent to a residential facility. |
| Youth Released | The youth is released from DJJ Custody either with or without continued supervision. |
| Commitment to a Residential Facility | A residential facility is a place where a child is sent to live and receive treatment after a Juvenile Court Judge rules on that child’s law-breaking behavior. A residential commitment program promotes that child’s rehabilitation and helps the child learn not to break the law again. The residential facility promotes community safety. |
Credit: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Delinquency Law Cases
Here are links to three Florida Juvenile Delinquency Law cases for your reading pleasure. If you are a Florida Bar Exam applicant, we recommend reading the cases for “buzz words” and a basic understanding of the overall subject.
1. P.N., a juvenile, Appellant v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee
2. T.M., a juvenile, Petitioner v. STATE of Florida, Respondent
3. S.R., a juvenile, Appellant v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee
Additional Resources
1. Chapter 185, Fla. Stats.
2. Juvenile Delinquency Briefing Sheets and Presentations
3. Florida Regulations-Dep’t of Juvenile Justice
4. Juvenile Justice Definitions / (Condensed Glossary)
5. Nolo Books
NOTE: The above information is intended solely for educational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice on this subject, contact a Florida attorney.
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