What is a juvenile disposition?

• A. A court-ordered outcome or sanction for a juvenile offender (e.g., probation or commitment).
• B. A punishment given to adults for juvenile crimes.
• C. A police warning with no court involvement.
• D. A transfer of the juvenile to adult court.

Answer: (A)

Juvenile disposition is the court-ordered outcome or sanction that follows a finding of delinquency. After a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent, the judge determines what happens next, such as probation, placement in a juvenile facility, commitment, restitution, community service, or counseling. The emphasis is on rehabilitation and the juvenile’s welfare as well as public safety. This is not merely a police warning with no court involvement, and it isn’t transferring the case to adult court—that transfer is a separate process that occurs before a disposition.