The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is the State agency that manages matters involving youthful offenders. The DJJ website describes their operation as, “The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state`s youthful offenders up to the age of 21. Each day, at 26 facilities and 97 community services offices throughout the state, more than 3,500 DJJ employees work diligently to effect justice as well as redirect and shape the young lives in the agency`s care so they can take responsibility for their delinquent conduct as well as become contributing members of society. At the same time, DJJ seeks to protect the victims of crimes so that they can rebuild their lives.”
Intake: Begins process by which child may be adjudicated delinquent or unruly or may be prosecuted as adult. Child may be referred to court through complaint or charge from police, school resource officer, parent, or other citizen. Child taken into custody is turned over to intake officer, who decides whether child should be temporarily detained to protect child or public, to prevent child from running away, or if child is without proper supervision.
Informal Adjustment - Detention: Court or intake officer determines if probable cause exists; whether to commence case in juvenile court; and whether to continue detention (if applicable) pending adjudicatory hearing. Intake officer may decide to use informal adjustment (basically informal probation) if child admits wrongdoing. If child violates informal adjustment agreement, will return to court for adjudication.
Petition: Formal document charging child with delinquency or unruliness. May only be filed if court or prosecutor has found both probable cause and that filing is in child’s best interests.
Adjudication: Equivalent to adult trial, where judge hears witnesses, reviews other evidence, and decides whether to adjudicate juvenile delinquent or unruly (comparable to finding of guilty or not guilty in adult court). There is no right to jury trial.
Disposition: Equivalent to adult sentencing. Possible dispositions include release to parents, probation, 30-day short-term sentence, commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice, and restrictive custody at a Youth Development Center ("YDC").