Alaska Statutes 47.12.010 – Goal and purposes of chapter

(a) The goal of this chapter is to promote a balanced juvenile justice system in the state to protect the community, impose accountability for violations of law, and equip juvenile offenders with the skills needed to live responsibly and productively.

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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 47.12.010

action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
victim: has the meaning given in Alaska Stat. See Alaska Statutes 47.12.990

(b) The purposes of this chapter are to

(1) respond to a juvenile offender’s needs in a manner that is consistent with

(A) prevention of repeated criminal behavior;

(B) restoration of the community and victim;

(C) protection of the public; and

(D) development of the juvenile into a productive citizen;

(2) protect citizens from juvenile crime;

(3) hold each juvenile offender directly accountable for the offender’s conduct;

(4) provide swift and consistent consequences for crimes committed by juveniles;

(5) make the juvenile justice system more open, accessible, and accountable to the public;

(6) require parental or guardian participation in the juvenile justice process;

(7) create an expectation that parents will be held responsible for the conduct and needs of their children;

(8) ensure that victims, witnesses, parents, foster parents, guardians, juvenile offenders, and all other interested parties are treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, and sensitivity throughout all legal proceedings;

(9) provide due process through which juvenile offenders, victims, parents, and guardians are assured fair legal proceedings during which constitutional and other legal rights are recognized and enforced;

(10) divert juveniles from the formal juvenile justice process through early intervention as warranted when consistent with the protection of the public;

(11) provide an early, individualized assessment and action plan for each juvenile offender in order to prevent further criminal behavior through the development of appropriate skills in the juvenile offender so that the juvenile is more capable of living productively and responsibly in the community;

(12) ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes committed by juveniles are afforded the same rights as victims and witnesses of crimes committed by adults;

(13) encourage and provide opportunities for local communities and groups to play an active role in the juvenile justice process in ways that are culturally relevant; and

(14) review and evaluate regularly and independently the effectiveness of programs and services under this chapter.

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