Juvenile Court Intake

Juvenile Court Intake performs assessments on law enforcement referrals to determine whether the youth referred are appropriate for diversion from court intervention and recommends delinquency petitions when necessary to hold youth accountable in a more formal way. Youth may be diverted through the use of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement where the youth is able to participate in services without court intervention.

Children who are substantiated for child abuse or neglect are also referred to Juvenile Court Intake for assessment and determination of whether court intervention is necessary to ameliorate the issues bringing the family into the child welfare system.

Law enforcement and/or Child Protective Services may refer children or youth to Juvenile Court Intake to determine whether the child/youth need to removed from the home for their safety or the safety of the community. Removing a child from the home is the last resort.