A Guide to the Juvenile Justice Process
Post Police Contact
After police respond to a situation where youth that results in a referral to the Juvenile Department one of the following will occur:
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Issus a citation and release to a parent or guardian.
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Take the youth into custody and transport to the NORCOR or Deschutes Juvenile Detention Facility.
What next?
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After your child is contacted by the police, the police will write a report and send it to the Juvenile Department.
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The Juvenile Department will staff the report and assign your child to a juvenile court counselor for intake and initial case interview. Cases are reviewed and assigned every week, so if your child was cited and released you can expect contact from the Juvenile Department within 2 to 3 weeks. The Juvenile Department works hard to handle cases in a timely manner.
Right to an Attorney
You have a right to have attorney for you or your child, at your own expense, during any point in the process. If the case moves forward to court or supervised probation your child may qualify for a court appointed attorney.
What is my role as the parent or guardian?
The parent or guardian plays a very important role in the juvenile justice process. Unlike adults, youth are usually dependent on family members. These relationships with family members have a large impact on the choices a youth makes. The partnership between the parent/guardian and the juvenile counselor is important and together they can have a positive impact on a youth's success. The juvenile counselors rely on the help of the parent/guardian for the youth in the juvenile justice process.
