Welfare and Institutions Code 602 WIC is the California statute that defines the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. The juvenile court hears delinquency cases involving children ages 12 to 17. Juvie Court also has jurisdiction over some children under 12. But only those accused of murder (PC 187) or certain sex crimes. 602 WIC provides that:
Legal Analysis of 602 WICThe juvenile court system hears delinquency cases for children ages 12 to 17. The court may also make these children wards. This means that the court can take primary responsibility for their treatment. (In the most serious cases, minors get transferred to adult criminal court.) But most children under 12 fall outside of the court’s jurisdiction. There are only two exceptions for minors 11 and younger:
Therefore, most minors under 12 are not eligible to become wards of the court. Counties instead rely on community-based services to rehabilitate the youngest lawbreakers. Juvenile Court can be traumatic. It carries a stigma. And the sooner a child enters the court system, re-offending is more likely. WIC 602 ensures the earliest child offenders receive more constructive treatment methods. The goal is to keep them from returning to the juvenile court system. Note that in Los Angeles County, the D.A.’s Office avoids prosecuting youths whenever possible in favor of diverting them to rehabilitative programs. (LADA Special Directive 20-09) Justia US Law US Codes and Statutes California Code 2016 California Code Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC |