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- Offences against the law that are committed
- by young people. The Children and Young
- Persons Act 1969 introduced in Britain the
- gradual abolition of the prosecution of
- children up to the age of 14, and provided
- three options for Juvenile Courts in respect
- of all care and criminal proceedings
- involving children up to the age of 17:
- binding over of parents, supervision orders,
- and care orders. Community homes were to have
- replaced the former approved schools, remand
- homes, and probation hostels. The Criminal
- Justice Act 1982 introduced new types of
- short-term youth custody and detention
- centres. There are similar separate systems
- for dealing with young offenders in most
- Western countries. The American judicial
- system provides special status and treatment
- for juvenile offenders. Their identities are
- protected and their records barred from
- public view. Judicial proceedings are less
- formal than those of criminal courts.
- Incarceration may not extend beyond a
- defendant's majority. Sentencing is tailored
- to the developmental needs of defendants and
- may consist of probation, counseling,
- community service, supervision, or placement
- in homes for youthful offenders.
-