Juvenile Vocab Unit

  1. Verdicts - A decision on a disputed issue in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.

  2. Cognitive - Relating to the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. 

  3. Penal Code - A compilation of laws concerning crimes and their punishments

  4. Senate Bills - A proposal for a new law or a change to an existing one that is introduced and processed in the US Senate

  5. Erratic - Not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable

  6. Transfer Hearing - A legal proceeding where a judge decides whether a juvenile should be tried in adult court instead of juvenile court.

  7. Prosecutor -  A person, especially a public official, who institutes legal proceedings against someone.

  8. Defense Attorney - A lawyer who represents a defendant in a lawsuit or criminal prosecution.

  9. Restorative Justice - A process for addressing harm and conflict by involving victims, offenders, and the community to decide how to repair the damage caused.

  10. Racial Disparity - Persistent imbalances in outcomes between different racial groups, visible in areas like income, health, housing, and the justice system.

  11. Felony - A serious crime, punishable by death or more than one year of imprisonment, typically in a state or federal prison

  12. Quandary - A state of perplexity, or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation 

  13. Misdemeanor - A criminal offense that is less severe than a felony and is punishable by a fine, probation, community service, or a jail sentence up to one year in a county jail

  14. Recidivism - The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend

  15. Perpetuated  - Make (something, typically an undesirable situation or an unfounded belief) continue indefinitely

  16. Habeas Corpus - A legal procedure, ( The Great Writ) that allows a person to challenge their detention by demanding that the government prove its lawfulness in court

  17. Tort - A wrongful act or injury that causes civil harm to another person or their property, for which the injured party can seek a remedy in court, usually monetary damages

  18. Jurisdiction - The legal authority a court has to hear and decide a case, and it can be limited by geography, the type of case, or the people involved

  19. Affidavit - A written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court

  20. Due Process - Fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen’s entitlement