Deck 9: Key Figures in Juvenile Court Proceedings

Question 1

In most jurisdictions, all juveniles named in petitions are represented by ______.

A) guardian ad litems
B) juvenile officers
C) defense counsel
D) judges

Answer 1

C

Question 2

______ and ______ have led to a reputation of low-quality representation provided by public defenders.

A) Low pay, inexperience
B) Inexperience, inadequate funding
C) Low pay, inadequate funding
D) Inexperience, adequate funding

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The final decision about whether or not a juvenile will be dealt with in juvenile court rests with the ______.

A) judge
B) prosecutor
C) defense counsel
D) probation officer

Answer 3

B

Question 4

______ are typically drawn from a roster of practicing attorneys in the jurisdiction.

A) Court-appointed defense counsels
B) Guardian ad litems
C) Private defense counsels
D) Prosecutors

Question 5

In a plea bargain, the prosecutor wants the defendant to plead ______ if not to the original charge, then to some less serious offense.

A) not guilty
B) nolo contendere
C) innocent
D) guilty

Question 6

In a plea bargain, ______ seeks to get the best deal possible for his or her client, and this may range from an outright dismissal to a plea of guilty to some offense less serious than the original charge.

A) guardian ad litem
B) defense counsel
C) prosecutor
D) probation officer

Question 7

Initially, the prosecutor was seen as both ______ and ______ in juvenile court proceedings.

A) unnecessary, harmful
B) necessary, beneficial
C) necessary, harmful
D) unnecessary, beneficial

Question 8

CASA volunteers are assigned to _____ case(s) at a time by the juvenile court judge.

A) one
B) four
C) five
D) more than five

Question 9

The ideal of ______ is perhaps most closely realized when a well-known private defense attorney does battle with the prosecutor.

A) civil juvenile proceedings
B) adversarial proceedings
C) trial proceedings
D) justice

Question 10

While they play major roles in investigation, presentation of evidence, and dispositional recommendations in abuse and neglect cases, ______ do not actually work for the juvenile courts.

A) guardian ad litems
B) child and family services personnel
C) probation officers
D) juvenile psychologists

Question 11

After an adjudicatory hearing, the juvenile ______ is often charged with conducting a social background investigation.

A) judge
B) prosecutor
C) probation officer
D) defense counsel

Question 12

______ are full-time salaried employees and are paid by the county or state (or by both) to represent defendants who do not have the money to retain private counsel.

A) Court-appointed defense counsels
B) Private defense counsels
C) Guardian ad litems
D) Public defenders

Question 13

In ______, both the prosecutor and defense counsel hope to gain through compromise.

A) a trial
B) informal adjustments
C) formal proceedings
D) plea bargaining

Question 14

In theory, adversarial proceedings result when the "champion" of the defendant, ______, and the "champion" of the state, ______, do "battle" in open court, where the "truth" is determined and "justice" is the result.

A) prosecutor, defense counsel
B) defense counsel, judge
C) guardian ad litem, prosecutor
D) defense counsel, prosecutor

Question 15

The prosecutor exercises an enormous amount of ______ in the juvenile (and adult) justice system.

A) discretion
B) judgment
C) non-discretionary decision-making
D) power

Question 16

A substantial proportion of delinquency and abuse/neglect cases in the United States are handled through ______.

A) formal proceedings
B) trials
C) plea bargaining
D) informal adjustments

Question 17

______ are usually hired by the juvenile and paid for by monies outside the court.

A) Private defense counsels
B) Court-appointed defense counsels
C) Public defenders
D) Guardian ad litems

Question 18

Prominent defense attorneys often have ______ investigative staffs and considerable ______ to devote to a case.

A) incompetent, time and money
B) competent, resources
C) incompetent, debt
D) competent, staff

Question 19

The ______ is an individual appointed by the court as a third party to protect the interests of the child both in court and while placed in social services.

A) court-appointed defense counsel
B) public defender
C) private defense counsel
D) guardian ad litem

Question 20

It is the ______ who decides whether a juvenile will be adjudicated delinquent, abused, in need of intervention, dependent, or neglected.

A) probation officer
B) prosecutor
C) defense counsel
D) juvenile court judge

Question 21

Many public defender programs are inadequately funded.

Question 22

The balance of power between the state and the defendant may be nearly even when the defendant has a public defender.

Question 23

There is a tendency on the part of some prosecutors to impose unofficial probation.

Question 24

In most areas, the public defender is paid a relatively high salary.

Question 25

Juvenile court proceedings involving delinquency and abuse are adversarial in nature in spite of the intent of the early developers of juvenile court philosophy.

Question 26

CASA volunteers also prepare a ______ for the court discussing what they believe is in the best interests of the child based on the evidence they have reviewed.

A) report
B) brief
C) recommendation
D) order

Question 27

______ volunteers are trained citizen volunteers who are appointed by the court to give advice in the best interests of children who are victims of abuse or neglect.

A) CADA
B) IAHSS
C) Guardian ad litems
D) CASA

Question 28

It has been suggested that justice in the United States is not the result of the adversarial system but rather the result of a cooperative network of routine interactions among defense counsel, the prosecutor, the defendant, and (in many instances) the judge.

Question 29

Collaborative groups of agencies that include local, state, and nonprofit entities are becoming more common.

Question 30

CASAs work closely with Departments of Children and Family Services on abuse and neglect cases.

Question 31

Explain and discuss the roles of key players in the juvenile court process.

Question 32

The nature of the compromise in plea bargaining depends on conditions such as the strength of the prosecutor's case and the seriousness of the offense.

Question 33

There are no clear benefits of plea bargaining seen by the prosecutor, defense counsel, and the juvenile court.

Question 34

CASA volunteers are responsible for:

A) researching the background of a case.
B) reviewing court documents.
C) interviewing everyone involved in the case.
D) A, B, and C are all correct.

Question 35

The juvenile probation officer is a key figure at all levels of the juvenile justice system.

Question 36

The public defender often has less experience than the prosecutor and generally has more limited access to an investigative staff than the prosecutor.

Question 37

For many young lawyers interested in criminal law, the position of public defender represents a stepping-stone.

Question 38

The juvenile court judge is the least powerful and is a noncentral figure in the juvenile justice system.

Question 39

The judge may use the CASA documentation when deciding on a ______ for the child.

A) trial date
B) sentence
C) adjudicatory hearing
D) disposition

Question 40

For a variety of reasons, both defense counsel and the prosecutor may find it easier to negotiate a particular case rather than to fight it out in court.

Question 41

What is a CASA? Why are they needed?

Question 42

What is plea bargaining? Why does it exist? What are the pros and cons of it?

Question 43

Discuss the different ways a juvenile may receive defense counsel.

Question 44

Does the prosecutor work with or against the defense counsel in juvenile proceedings? Why?