After reading this chapter, students should be able to:

1. List the major goals of juvenile court.

2. Describe the types of cases handled by juvenile court.

3. Describe the major stages in the juvenile court process, from intake to disposition.

4. Discuss the major ways in which juvenile courts respond to offenders, including diversion, waiver to adult court, and those dispositions involving probation, intermediate sanctions, rehabilitation, and out-of-home placements.  

5. Summarize the research on the effectiveness of these different responses and indicate what steps juvenile courts are taking to increase their effectiveness.  

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