The Juvenile Probation Department has the responsibility of receiving all police referrals involving juveniles between the ages of ten and eighteen years of age. For juveniles detained as well as those referred to Court, an Adjudication Hearing is held to determine guilt or innocence. Dispositions are the heart of the Juvenile Court System. A social investigation is prepared by the probation officer that summarizes the juvenile s family relationships, his behavioral patterns, including past delinquency and school progress that will be used to assist the Juvenile Court Judge in reaching an appropriate disposition. The Juvenile Court Judge seeks a balance of accountability, sanctions and treatment for the juvenile offender.
Intensive probation is an enhancement of traditional probation services.
This program has proven to be an extremely cost effective program for certain types of juvenile offenders because successful completion of Intense Probation avoids a costly juvenile placement. Community protection, victim restoration and youth redemption are the three components of the Balanced Approach in providing approaches and services through the Juvenile Court and its probation department. Intense Probation officers as well as regular probation officers emphasize the principles of the Balanced Approach and work closely with the community in providing services. The Northampton County Juvenile Court and its Juvenile Probation Department are committed to the principles of restorative justice which gives priority to repairing harm done to victims and communities by providing a means for juvenile offender accountability and victim satisfaction. In many cases, the most effective means of having juveniles right some of their wrongs is by performing community service.