Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 46 > Chapter 45 > Part I - Generally

• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Juvenile justice: means the system of public and private services in Louisiana that includes prevention, early identification, early intervention, child protection, law enforcement, prosecution, defense, adjudication, diversion and informal processing, probation, corrections, aftercare, transitional living, and other services provided to children and families who either are or are likely to be brought into a court with juvenile jurisdiction because of problems such as abuse, neglect or abandonment, mental illness, substance abuse, aspects of a divorce and breakup of families, pre-delinquency, social irresponsibility or delinquent behavior, or spousal abuse involving children. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 46:2600
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.