In New Jersey, when juveniles commit criminal offenses, by default, they are put under the jurisdiction of the family courts for an adjudication of delinquency. Although juvenile courts function much like a regular criminal court and juveniles are entitled to all the same legal and constitutional rights, the purpose behind the juvenile system is to rehabilitate so that the juvenile does not commit criminal conduct in the future and punishments for adjudications of delinquency are tailored accordingly. However, under certain circumstances, the state can request to have a juvenile “waived” into regular criminal court, where they can be tried as if they were an adult.