Juvenile Court Terms Glossary and Acronym Guide

Below is an informal list of terms and acronyms commonly used in the Juvenile Court.

Action Step: A short term, small step the youth will take to achieve their overall case plan goal (Connected to achieving the goal and reducing the risk item).

Adjudication: The term used in juvenile court delinquency cases to indicate that a youth has been found to have committed a delinquent act. This is similar to being found guilty in adult criminal court. The term is also used in child welfare cases to indicate that allegations of abuse, neglect, or dependency have been found to be true, and the court has jurisdiction over the parties.

Affidavit: A written declaration or statements of facts, sworn to by oath or affirmation.

Aggression Replacement Training (ART): A cognitive-behavioral intervention that focuses on learning new skills to avoid high-risk situations in the future. Also referred to as Alternative Response Training and Reducing Risk in Teens (RRT).

Alternative Response Training (ART): A cognitive-behavioral intervention that focuses on learning new skills to avoid high-risk situations in the future. Also referred to as Aggression Replacement Training and Reducing Risk in Teens (RRT).

Apology Letter: A letter that an individual writes to the victim of their offense or others that is a way of expressing regret towards a past action. It is a means of putting down in words how the individual plans to make a positive change from a negative action.

Appeal: A review by a higher court (Utah Court of Appeals or Utah Supreme Court) of a lower court's (Utah Juvenile Court) final judgment or decree. An appeal is not a new trial, and no new evidence is accepted.

Arraignment: The initial hearing after a petition has been filed where the alleged offenses are read, the youth is advised of their rights and they are asked to admit or deny the offenses.

Arraignment Waiver: A form that allows the youth to bypass the arraignment hearing and proceed to a pretrial hearing.

Assessment: When the probation officer gathers information from the youth and family to complete the PSRA and/or PRA.

Balanced and Restorative Justice Model (BARJ): The BARJ Model uses restorative justice principles to balance the needs of three parties: the offender or law violator, the crime victim, and the affected community. The three components of BARJ are Competency Development, Accountability, and Community Safety.

Behavioral Analysis Worksheet (BAW): A structured guide that helps a youth collect and connect their antisocial actions with their feelings and thoughts. As the analysis is repeated for other behaviors, a pattern of thinking may emerge.

Behavior Change: This term generally relates to the work that the youth is doing to incorporate newly learned skills into their everyday lives in order to avoid problematic situations in the future. Usually, this will be supported by the youth’s case plan goals and action steps, but could also relate to other areas of their lives where they are improving dynamic risk factors that influence their behavior.

Brief Intervention Tools (BITs): A worksheet developed by the Carey Group that is used by probation officers to quickly address key skill deficits when working with youth on changing their behavior.

Brief Community Intervention (BCI): A program operated by JJYS that provides after school programming for moderate to high risk youth involved, or at risk of being involved, in Utah’s juvenile justice system.

Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI): A Division under Utah’s Department of Public Safety; BCI manages criminal identification services such as fingerprinting, criminal records, AMBER alerts, and missing persons.

C.A.R.E.: The statewide electronic case management system for the Juvenile Court and JJYS.

Carey Guides: Practical, easy to use handbooks and online tools that were developed by the Carey Group to help probation officers deliver individual evidence-based interventions to youth with whom they are working.

Case Plan: A plan created with the youth’s input to address dynamic risk factors while the youth is under court jurisdiction in order to change the targeted behavior. The plan also incorporates the youth’s perspective on their behavior from the BAW, meaningful motivators for the youth, and protective factors identified in the PRA.

Case Plan Goal: The desired behavior change connected to an identified dynamic risk factor that if accomplished, would result in the risk factor becoming a protective factor for the youth.

Case Plan Report Packet: A collection of information that includes assessment results from the PSRA and PRA and the results from the Zeroing-In process that is shared with treatment providers to assist with collaboration between probation and the provider’s intervention efforts.

Chief Probation Officer: The probation executive who oversees the juvenile probation department of an individual district.

Child Welfare (CW): Cases in the juvenile court that are not related to a delinquency offense, but instead relate to allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or cases where for some other reason the child is dependent on the state of Utah for care and support.

Clerk of Court (COC): The clerical executive who oversees the clerical department of an individual district.

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CBT): An intervention model that has been shown to be most effective at reducing recidivism.

Community-Based: A non-secure local placement option for youth under the jurisdiction of the Court. Generally, this refers to a treatment or intervention option that the youth is able to receive while still living in their home.

Community-Based Placement: Community placement is for youth ordered into the custody of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services (JJYS) and are usually private residential settings outside of the home. Youth are sometimes able to remain in their home with family support.

Community Service: A consequence imposed after adjudication or nonjudicial adjustment that requires youth to work in the community to repay society for the harm done by their actions.

Contempt of Court: Any act involving disrespect to the court or failure/refusal to obey its rules or orders.

Correctional Program Checklist (CPC): A program evaluation tool used by the juvenile court on contracted programs to determine how well they adhere to evidence-based practices.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA): CASA volunteers are sworn officers of the court who are appointed by a juvenile court judge to advocate for children who are living in foster care as a result of abuse or neglect. The CASA program ensures that someone is looking out for the best interest of each individual child. Volunteers advocate for the child in court and provide written reports for court hearings.

Court Improvement Program (CIP): A federal grant administered by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth and Families.that provides funding and guidance to state court systems to develop and implement plans for improvement in the management of child welfare cases.

Court Records: All juvenile court legal, social, and probation records as well as all other juvenile court records prepared, owned, received, or maintained by the court.

Criminogenic Need: Characteristics, traits, problems, or issues that directly relate to the youth's likelihood to commit another delinquent act. They fall into one of eight categories; a history of antisocial behavior, antisocial personality pattern, antisocial cognition, antisocial associates, family, school and work, leisure and recreation, and substance abuse.

Criminogenic Risk: The likelihood that a youth will commit another delinquent act in the near future without formal intervention.

Custodian: The person who has physical and/or legal control of a youth either temporarily because of circumstances or by court order, or on a more permanent basis either via natural parenthood or adoption.

Custody: The physical and legal responsibility for a youth, usually as a result of natural parenthood, adoption, or legal assignment by a court. Usually, custody also includes an additional award of guardianship as deemed appropriate by the Court.

Defense Attorney: An attorney appointed for, or retained by, a client to represent them in the formal court process, protect their rights, ensure due process of law, and represent their interests.

Delayed Entry of Admission: When the Juvenile Court delays entering a minor's admission of the offense while the minor completes court imposed conditions. Once the minor successfully completes the conditions within a defined period of time, the court will dismiss the petition.

Delinquency: A general term of reference to conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law; a general category of matters before the Court involving youth who have violated any federal, state, local law or municipal ordinance.

Delinquency Drug Court: A therapeutic court serving youth assessed with a substance use disorder that has contributed to their delinquent behavior. See also Specialty Court.

Delinquent Youth: Youth under age 18 who have committed an act that is a crime.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): Both the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and Juvenile Justice and Youth Service (JJYS) fall under this department. The Department of Health and Human Services seeks to provide children, youth, families, and adults individualized services to thrive in their homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.

Department of Workforce Services (DWS): The agency responsible for overseeing employment and public assistance programs in Utah. Workforce Services employees assist individuals, including youth, in preparing for and finding jobs, meeting the workforce needs of Utah businesses, administering temporary assistance, and providing economic data and analysis.

Deputy Probation Officer (DPO): Assists probation officers with duties that involve tracking and monitoring, work programs and other routine case handling of youth who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court

Detention (DT): Detention provides short-term locked confinement for delinquent youth awaiting adjudication, placement, or who have received a disposition to be held in a secure facility for a period of time by a Juvenile Court Judge. It is designed to provide short-term control of youth who pose an immediate danger to themselves or others. Also referred to as Locked Detention.

Detention Hearing: A hearing that is held within 48 hours of a youth’s admission to a detention facility. At this hearing, a Juvenile Court Judge decides if the youth should continue in detention, be returned home, or placed in a less restrictive placement.

Detention Risk Assessment Tool (DRAT): A validated assessment tool designed to evaluate whether a youth’s presenting delinquency allegations and past delinquency history warrants placement in detention or if an alternative to detention is more appropriate. This assessment is administered by JJYS staff prior to a youth being booked into detention.

DHHS Contracted Probation Services: A collaborative effort between the Department of Health and Human Services and the juvenile court that allows for probation officers to refer youth to services of DHHS contracted providers that a family may not otherwise be able to access or afford while staying in their home.

Disposition: A court order after adjudication. This is similar to the sentencing of an adult.

Dispositional Report: A written report by the probation officer relating to a youth's mental, physical, and social history as well as assessment results and contains recommendations from the assigned probation officer based on their findings to assist the juvenile court in making an appropriate disposition.

District: Utah’s judicial system is sectioned into eight different judicial districts. Each is responsible for the execution of judicial functions for the counties within their district.

Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS): A division of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services that aims to ensure the safety of Utah’s children and strengthen Utah’s families.

Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services (JJYS): A division of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services that provides a continuum of intervention, supervision, and rehabilitation programs to youth offenders while assuring public safety.

Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD): A DHHS agency that provides support and opportunities for individuals, including youth, with disabilities to participate and thrive as valued members of the community. Services include both out-of-home and in-home services like supported living, personal assistance, respite care and supported employment.

Dosage: The amount of time a probation officer, in combination with an evidence-based intervention, spends with a youth targeting specific dynamic risk factors in an effort to reduce their risk. Research suggests that the higher a youth’s criminogenic risk, the more time that should be spent working on targeted dynamic risk factors.

Day Skills Intervention (DSI): A program operated by JJYS that provides responsive support to youth during the school day, including education, evidence-based groups, family support services and skill development for court-involved youth.

Dynamic Risk Factors: Characteristics, traits, problems, or issues that directly relate to the youth's likelihood to commit another delinquent act. They are the specific traits that contribute to the eight criminogenic need categories. See also Criminogenic Need.

Episode: A group of offenses that occur around the same period of time, usually within the same day.

Evidence-based Practices (EBP): Within the juvenile justice system, these are practices that have been empirically shown to improve youth outcomes and reduce recidivism. The set of evidence-based practices adopted by the Utah Juvenile Court are the Principles of Effective Intervention. These include four basic principles: risk, need, responsivity, and program integrity. See also Criminogenic Risk, Criminogenic Need, and Responsivity.

Evidentiary Hearing: A hearing where evidence is presented and/or testimony is given under oath before a juvenile court judge to make a decision on whether the evidence can be presented at a trial.

Expungement: A court order allowing the destruction or sealing of records after the passage of a specified period of time or when the person reaches a specified age and has not committed another offense.

Families First: An evidence-based, in-home, parent skill-based intervention designed to teach parents and youth skills to change the unwanted behaviors occurring in the home, and to improve family functioning.

Family First Prevention Services Act: Federal law enacted in 2018 reforming federal child welfare financing to provide services to youth and families at risk for entering into the child welfare system.

Family Dependency Drug Court (FDDC): A court-based collaboration and integrated service delivery system for the parents of children who have come to the attention of the juvenile court on matters of abuse and neglect that aims to treat substance use disorders through an intense and concentrated program to preserve families and protect children. See also Specialty Court.

Family Resource Facilitator (FRF): A support person for the youth and family that provides wraparound facilitation by connecting youth and families with available community resources through referrals to local resources and programs, advocating for culturally appropriate services, and linking families to information and support groups.

Felony: Utah felonies are classified into four categories: Capital, 1st degree, 2nd degree, and 3rd degree. In the Juvenile Court, felonies are technically offenses that would be felonies if committed by an adult. A juvenile cannot be charged with a capital felony.

Fine: A sum of money paid as a consequence after adjudication or nonjudicial assessment for a particular offense.

Formal Probation: A probation status generally reserved for higher risk youth that need additional time under court jurisdiction to work with a probation officer on their dynamic risk factors, complete interventions, and who have more intense supervision needs.

Graduated Sanctions: An accountability-based continuum of available disposition options for juvenile court judges and probation officers that range from least to most restrictive sanctions. Ideally, the least restrictive sanction will be used to maintain public safety while allowing the youth to remain in their home and/or community and avoid moving deeper into the juvenile justice system.

Guardian ad Litem (GAL): A specially trained attorney employed by the Office of Guardian ad Litem to represent the best interests of a youth. The role of a GAL attorney differs significantly from that of a traditional lawyer in that the GAL represents the child’s best interest, not necessarily the child’s wishes.

Guardianship: A guardian is someone who takes care of a child's needs. This typically includes such things as shelter, education, food, and medical care. Guardianship of minors pertains to a legal relationship between a minor child and a guardian that gives the guardian certain rights and obligations regarding the child. A designation of guardianship does not sever the legal relationship that exists between a child and their parents.

Hearing: A session held before a judge for the purpose of deciding issues of fact, of law, or both.

Holdable Offense: An offense for which a police officer could choose to admit a youth into detention.

Home Detention: An alternative to locked detention ordered by a Juvenile Court Judge in which a delinquent youth can be confined at their home if they are not a danger to themselves or the community.

Home Visit: A schedule or unscheduled visit that a probation officer makes to a juvenile’s home to follow up on court requirements and/or case plan goals.

House Arrest: A short term restriction applied by a Juvenile Court Judge or Probation Officer that limits the coming and going of a youth from their home. Generally during house arrest, a youth is only allowed to leave their home for approved activities (such as school or attendance at counseling) or when supervised by an approved adult.

Incentives: Items or areas of value to a youth that encourage and influence motivation for change and support prosocial behaviors, positive changes and attitudes, and compliance with court-ordered conditions.

Incentives Matrix: A tool that probation officers use to assure they are responding to positive behavior from youth consistently and effectively. It looks at the level of the compliant behavior (easier to accomplish behavior such as attending an appointment is lower on the scale, while harder to accomplish behavior such as completing counseling successfully is higher on the scale), and associates a level of incentive to pair with the behavior (easier behaviors may receive less valuable incentives such as candy or praise, while harder behaviors may receive more valuable rewards such as a gift card or early release from probation).

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA): A federal law created to protect American Indian and Alaskan Native children in state child custody proceedings who are members of, or eligible for, membership in a federally recognized tribe. ICWA establishes specific procedures and requirements that apply when Indian children are involved in state child custody proceedings which include cases focused on foster care placement, termination of parental rights, adoption, and out of home placements related to status offenses.

Intake Date: The date an offense is received by the juvenile court.

Intake Decision Date: The date a probation officer or prosecutor makes a formal decision regarding how an offense referred to the juvenile court will be handled.

Intake Probation: A probation status generally reserved for lower risk youth that need less time under court jurisdiction to work with a probation officer on their dynamic risk factors and have limited supervision needs.

Interstate Compact on Juveniles (ICJ): A contract between member states providing for cooperative, uniform handling of juveniles regarding supervision of youth on probation or parole; the return, from one state to another, of delinquent youth who have escaped or absconded; the return, from one state to another of non-delinquent youth who have run away from home; additional measures for the protection of youth and the public, which any two or more of the party states may find desirable to undertake cooperatively. Informally, ‘ICJ’ is the term used by Utah’s juvenile probation department to refer to interstate probation cases.

Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC): A statutory agreement between all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands. The agreement governs the placement of children from one state into another state. It sets forth the requirements that must be met before a child can be placed out of state. The Compact ensures prospective placements are safe and suitable before approval, and it ensures that the individual or entity placing the child remains legally and financially responsible for the child following placement.

Intervention: A program or service that a youth is referred to, or completes with a probation officer, to address the youth’s dynamic risk factors.

JJYS Case Manager: The individual responsible for overseeing the case of a youth placed in the custody of JJYS.

JJYS Proctor Home: A foster home for youth placed in the custody of the JJYS.

JJYS Youth Services: A model that allows Utah to deliver evidence-based practices to youth and families at the front end of the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. The primary goals of Youth Services is to prevent out-of-home placements and keep families intact so they can safely remain in their homes, schools, and communities.

Juvenile Court Judge: The judicial official that oversees a youth’s case while under jurisdiction. Utah has a ‘one family, one judge’ philosophy to assure continuity for a case, so youth will usually be seen by the same judge anytime they enter the juvenile justice system, as will their siblings and their parents if they enter the child welfare system.

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency and Prevention Act (JJDPA): A United States federal law providing formula grants to states that follow a series of federal protections on the care and treatment of youth in the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems

Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee (JJOC): A designated entity under the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice to oversee the implementation of juvenile justice system reform.

Juvenile Justice System: A term of reference to the juvenile court, police agencies, probation, county or district attorney, agencies and institutions, and their inter-relationships to each other in dealing with delinquent juveniles.

Juvenile Receiving Center (JRC): A location for law enforcement to take youth after an arrest for delinquent acts that do not meet detention admission guidelines. Receiving Center staff are responsible for locating parents, assessing immediate needs, and directing the youth and family to appropriate resources.

Juvenile Trial Court Executive (JTCE): The administrative executive who oversees the juvenile court operations of an individual district.

Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI-2): A brief behavioral health screening tool that identifies youths 12 through 17 years old who may have pressing behavioral health needs.

Mediation: The settlement or resolution of a dispute between two people with the help of an independent third party. Mediation is usually voluntary, less formal, and takes less time than court action. See also Truancy Mediation or Victim Offender Mediation.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): A formal agreement between two or more parties, usually used to establish official partnerships.

Mental Health Court: A therapeutic court for youth who have a diagnosed mental health disorder that has contributed to their delinquent behavior. See also Specialty Court.

Misdemeanor: A minor offense, lower than a felony. Misdemeanors in Utah are classified into three categories: Class A, B, and C.

Motivational Interviewing: A counseling method that helps people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior. It is a practical, empathetic, and short-term process that takes into consideration how difficult it is to make life changes.

Multi-Agency Staffing (MAS): A collaborative case review with multiple agencies that serve youth and families in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. The purpose of MAS is to collaborate on available resources to address the needs of youth and families that may have complex issues that need to be resolved.

National Crime Information Center (NCIC): The United States' central database for tracking crime-related information.

National Curriculum and Training Institute (NCTI): A cognitive-behavioral intervention delivered by the probation department to youth that targets dynamic risk factors.

Network on Juveniles who Offend Sexually (NOJOS): A Utah specific treatment continuum for youth who commit sexual offenses.

Non-Compliance: When a youth fails to follow through with a request from probation, an order from the court, or generally engages in problematic behavior that could result in further involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Non-Compliant Behavior Matrix: A tool that probation officers use to assure they are handling non-compliant behavior from youth consistently and effectively. It looks at the level of the non-compliant behavior (less serious violations such as missing a probation appointment are lower on the scale, while more serious violations such as having direct contact with a victim are higher up on the scale) and the risk level of the youth, and associates a level of response or sanction from the probation officer to pair with the behavior (less serious behaviors may receive a lesser restrictive response or sanction such as meeting with probation or losing a privilege, while more serious behaviors may receive a more restrictive response or sanction such as having to appear before a judge for the violation).

Nonjudicial Agreement (NJ or NJA): A written agreement between a delinquent youth and a probation officer that stipulates that no petition be filed with the court if the youth complies with the terms of the agreement. A nonjudicial agreement does not involve a judge or appearance in court. Also known as diversion.

Offense: A matter referred to the juvenile court alleging that a youth has violated a federal, state, local law, or municipal ordinance.

Office of Recovery Services (ORS): Utah’s child support enforcement agency that ensures parents are financially responsible for their children.

Order to Show Cause (OSC): A court order requiring a party to appear and show cause why the court should not take a particular course of action. If a party fails to obey a court order the court may ask the party to explain why the court order was not obeyed. If the party fails to appear or to give sufficient reasons why the court should take no action, the court may take further action.

Paper Review: A written review that is submitted to a juvenile court judge on the progress of a youth’s case under continuing jurisdiction. The youth and family do not appear before the judge but rather receive a copy of the written review.

Pattern of Behavior: A youth’s thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors during delinquent activities. It may encompass the current referral to the court but also explores other instances when the youth has gotten into trouble, usually with the assistance of the BAW. This helps the youth and probation officer to identify the most impactful dynamic risk factors to focus on during the development of the youth’s case plan by drawing out patterns that exist in the youth’s problematic behavior.

Petition: In delinquency cases, a petition is a legal document that describes the alleged offense committed by the youth. In child welfare cases, a petition is a document filed with the court which commences proceedings alleging that a child is abused, neglected, or dependent.

Plea: The youth's formal response to an offense. In the juvenile court this is an entering of ‘admit’ or ‘deny’.

Plea Bargain: A situation whereby the prosecutor and defense attorney negotiate a mutually satisfactory disposition of the case.

Plea in Abeyance: When an offense admission is put on hold while the youth completes the requirements ordered by the Judge. Upon completion of these terms, the admission is withdrawn and the offenses are dismissed.

Pre-Screen Risk Assessment (PSRA): A short assessment used to determine criminogenic risk level and guide a probation officer’s decision making on a youth’s case.

Preliminary Interview (PI): The initial meeting between a youth, their parents, and a probation officer where a study and assessments are conducted by the probation department upon receiving a referral to determine whether further action should be taken.

Presenting Offense Episode (POE): The specific episode or offenses that have brought the youth under jurisdiction. The probation officer will discuss the elements of the POE when they conduct a new PRA assessment with a youth.

Presumptive Timeline: The recommended length of time a youth should remain under court jurisdiction in order to complete an intervention and other items owed to the juvenile court.

Pretrial Hearing: A hearing scheduled after an arraignment hearing if there are additional items that need to be explored or resolved prior to a resolution of the case.

Probation Assessment and Supervision Services (PASS): A house arrest and assessment program for pre and post adjudicated youth. The level of supervision is determined by the youth’s risk level and compliance with the program.

Probation Officer (PO): An officer of the court who supervises youth who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Probation officers complete risk assessments and case plans, work with youth on skill development, and collaborate with treatment programs and other services or agencies working with youth. Probation officers also monitor youth in the community by following up on orders and obligations owed to the court.

Probation Status: A legal status ordered by the juvenile court following an adjudication of an offense that allows the youth to remain in the home under prescribed conditions and supervision by the probation department.

Probation Supervisor: The person responsible for managing a team of probation officers. They regularly assist with cases and participate in staffings with probation officers to assure appropriate decisions are being made on cases.

Program Fidelity: The extent to which a program is being executed as designed. The more the program is maintaining fidelity, the more likely they are to be effective at addressing the needs of the population they serve.

Prosecutor: A public official who represents the state or local jurisdiction during court proceedings.

Protective and Risk Assessment (PRA): An in-depth risk and needs assessment used for disposition and case planning purposes.

Protective Factors: Characteristics, traits, or circumstances that directly relate to the youth’s likelihood that they will not commit delinquent acts in the future.

Protective Service Supervision (PSS): A legal status created by court order after an adjudication on the grounds of abuse, neglect, or dependency in which the child is permitted to remain in the home or is placed in a relative’s home, and supervision and assistance to correct the abuse, neglect, or dependency is provided by DCFS.

Psychological Evaluation: An in-depth mental health assessment, where a psychologist or psychiatrist evaluates to see if an individual is experiencing any mental health problems. This evaluation generally involves multiple components such as answering questions verbally and completing testing and/or questionnaires.

Psychosexual Evaluation: An evaluation that focuses on an individual's psychological and sexual functioning. This evaluation examines the individual's sexual interests, attitudes, and behaviors to see if there are deviancy issues. It also evaluates the individual's risk for re-offending or acting out sexually in the future.

Public Defender: A government lawyer, who is appointed by a Juvenile Court Judge, to provide free legal defense services to a youth charged with an offense.

Quality Assurance (QA): The process by which the Juvenile Court Probation Department ensures staff are adhering to best practices related to the supervision of delinquent youth.

Quality Assurance Plan (QAP): A statewide document meant to ensure probation services offered to youth are of the utmost quality by outlining standards of service.

Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP): A specific category of non-foster family home settings, for which DCFS and JJYS must meet detailed assessment, case planning, documentation, judicial determinations and ongoing review and permanency hearing requirements for a child to be placed in and continue to receive federal funding for the placement. QRTPs are a subset of licensed group care facilities. QRTPs must also be licensed, trauma-informed, comply with criminal records check and child abuse and neglect registry check requirements, accredited by specific organizations.

Recidivism: The continued, habitual or compulsive commission of law violations after first having been adjudicated of prior offenses. Generally, this refers to a youth committing another offense anytime after their initial referral to the juvenile court.

Referral: A written report submitted by a law enforcement officer or another authorized person who has reason to believe a juvenile has committed an offense that would place them within the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court.

Release of Information: An agreement that authorizes parties to release information about a youth and/or family to each other for the purpose of coordinating services. This is generally completed when an agency that is bound by legal restrictions for sharing information such as a mental health therapist, asks the parent or guardian to authorize them to discuss the details of the youth’s case with another agency.

Response: An action a probation officer may take to follow-up on an instance of non-compliance with a youth. This may include the youth also receiving a sanction for the behavior, but generally, this could include the probation officer meeting with the youth, completing Carey Guides, or referring the youth to additional services or intervention. It is not a consequence, but rather an action by the probation officer to assure the youth’s dynamic risk factors are being addressed correctly after non-compliance. See also Sanction and Non-Compliant Behavior Matrix.

Responsivity: Assuring that interventions and service delivery are tailored to individual characteristics of youth, in order to increase engagement and accessibility to the services. Examples of characteristics a probation officer would consider include gender, cultural background, trauma history, developmental stages, learning/cognitive disability, motivation, reading ability, and/or mental health.

Restitution: Money, goods, or services assessed against a youth for an offense committed against a victim, with the said money, goods, or service restored to the victim to compensate them in whole or part for their loss.

Review: A hearing before a Juvenile Court Judge on the progress of a youth’s case under continuing jurisdiction.

Reward: Something given to a youth in recognition of their effort or achievement.

Risk Reduction: Decrease in a youth’s criminogenic risk level, indicating a substantial reduction in the number of dynamic risk factors a youth possesses.

Reducing Risk in Teens (RRT): A cognitive-behavioral intervention that focuses on learning new skills to avoid high-risk situations in the future. Also referred to as Aggression Replacement Training (ART), and Alternative Response Training.

SAFE: The electronic data management system used by DCFS.

Safety Plan: A plan that outlines restrictions, supervision requirements, or special conditions in order to minimize the potential risk to the community and/or alleged victim(s).

Sanction: A consequence a probation officer will impose on a youth after an instance of non-compliance. This may include the youth also receiving a response from the probation officer to address their dynamic risk factors. See also Response and Non-Compliant Behavior Matrix.

School Resource Officer (SRO): A sworn law enforcement officer responsible for safety and crime prevention in schools. SROs are typically employed by a local police or sheriff's agency and work closely with school administrators in an effort to create a safer environment for both students and staff. The responsibilities of SROs are similar to regular police officers in that they have the ability to make arrests, respond to calls for service, and document incidents, but may also have additional duties, such as mentoring youth and conducting presentations on youth-related issues.

Secure Care: A secure facility for the long term placement of youth, similar to adult prisons. After the Juvenile Court orders a delinquent youth into a Secure Facility, the authority for the youth is transferred to the Youth Parole Authority. Youth are not committed to the secure facility for a specific length of time, rather, their stay is based on guidelines established by the Youth Parole Authority. Unlike the adult correctional system, juveniles placed in Secure Facilities must receive educational and vocational services. Each juvenile must complete an individually designed treatment plan, based on their rehabilitative needs, and complete any court-ordered victim restitution, as part of the requirements for release.

Service Delivery: The intensity and dosage of services/interventions provided to youth on a probation status, or non-judicial, and the reinforcement of those services through coaching and modeling. Service delivery is based on the youth’s assessed risk level and dynamic risk factors.

Sexual Behavioral Risk Assessment (SBRA): A clinical evaluation that provides an in-depth assessment and treatment recommendations for a juvenile who has offended sexually.

Shelter Hearing: A court hearing that is held 72 hours from the time of the child’s removal from their home in abuse, dependency, or neglect cases.

Significant Change: Circumstances in the youth’s life that would prompt a probation officer to reassess the current PRA to see if the youth’s dynamic risk factors have gotten more significant or have changed to protective factors. A significant change could be new violations that resulted in court action or significant positive progress towards the youth’s targeted behavior change.

SMART Goal: As it relates to case plan goals and/or behavior change, SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

Specialty Court: A problem-solving court that operates under a specialized model to provide court-directed supervision and mandated treatment to individuals with substance use, mental health or other situational issues underlying the behavior that has caused them to enter the justice system. See also Delinquency Drug Court, Family Dependency Drug Court (FDDC) and Mental Health Court.

Stages of Change: A metric that probation officers use to determine how committed a youth may be to changing their behavior. These stages are fluid and cyclical, and youth could be in many different stages at once as it relates to the specific aspects of their life they are trying to change. The stages include:

Precontemplation- the youth does not see any problems with their behavior and is happy with how things are going
Contemplation- the youth starts to see the benefits of changing their behavior but is not ready to commit to change
Preparation- the youth is starting to plan how to change their behavior but no action has been taken yet
Action- the youth has put a plan into action
Maintenance- the youth has been able to exhibit six months of behavior change
Relapse- the youth was moving through the stages but has fallen back into any of the prior other stages

Status Offense: Misbehavior which would not be criminal if committed by an adult but is defined as an offense when committed by youth because of the youth's age. Examples include tobacco use, alcohol use, or truancy.

Statute: A particular law enacted and established by the legislative branch of government.

Strategies: A case planning tool that is used by probation officers and JJYS case managers, family, community supports, and programs to support the youth in completing action steps. Strategies are individualized to youth and their needs.

Summons: A notice to the parent or guardian of a youth in whose interest a petition has been filed with the Court ordering said parent or guardian to appear in juvenile court with their youth at a particular time, date, and place.

Suspended Order: An order from the juvenile court that is not put into effect, although since it may take effect at a later date, is not considered vacated.

System of Care (SOC): A customized service approach to keep families safely together while effectively helping children with emotional and/or behavioral health needs thrive in their homes, schools, and communities.

Targeted Behavior Response: A system of responses to compliant and non-compliant behaviors to encourage and support positive behavior, positive changes, and compliance with court orders while decreasing risk. Also referred to as Targeted Response.

Teaming: The partnership between youth, families, juvenile justice professionals, and other key service delivery systems in order to serve, support, motivate and engage youth and their families throughout the case plan.

Termination of Jurisdiction: The juvenile court concluding any control, authority, or interest in a given case by court order.

Termination of Parental Rights (TPR): The permanent elimination of all parental rights and duties, including residual parental rights and duties by court order.

Transition Planning: A concept in case planning where the probation officer or JJYS case manager, youth, and family develop a plan to transition the youth out of court jurisdiction. This plan may consist of risky situations, identified triggers and warning signs that the youth may face once out of court jurisdiction and what skills or protective factors the youth may have to avoid engaging in risky behavior. This may also be referred to as a youth’s Success Plan or Termination Plan.

Transition to Adult Living (TAL): A program that provides young people with assistance as they transition from foster care to adult living. The program helps young adults find housing, employment, on-the-job training, crisis support, and medical and mental health care as they age out of the foster care system, and provides youth with mentoring, self-esteem building, personal future planning, caregiver and family networking, education and training in basic life-skills.

Trial: A formal, adversarial proceeding on a contested matter before the Court. In juvenile court, a trial is most often used as a reference to the formal court process of determining facts, findings, and arriving at a proper decision.

Truancy Mediation: A program in which the school, youth, and their parents can resolve concerns in regards to a youth’s lack of attendance at an education program.

Truant: A truant youth is any school-age youth who is subject to the state's compulsory education law and who is absent from school without a legitimate or valid excuse.

Uniform Nationwide Interstate Tracking for Youth (UNITY): The data management system used by all compacting states to track the interstate movement of youth subject to the ICJ.

Urine Analysis (UA): A urine sample collected to test for illegal or prohibited substances.

Utah Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC): One of two administrative bodies within the Utah State Courts. The AOC offers administrative support via several management functions, including the State Court Administrator assisted by a Deputy Administrator, District, Juvenile, and Justice Court Administrators, trial court executives, and management personnel in the following areas: Human Resources, Public Information, Planning and Research, Finance, Information Technology, Information Services, Audit, and General Counsel.

Utah Board of Juvenile Justice (UBJJ): The State Advisory Group (SAG) established in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) which functions within the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. The mission of the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice is to develop annual plans to implement the objectives of the JJDPA, promote the development of an effective and coordinated juvenile justice system in the State of Utah and provide input into Utah's use of JJDPA funds. It is also responsible for supporting compliance with the core requirements of the JJDPA and providing information about the Act’s requirements to state and local policymakers.

Utah Juvenile Court: The court in Utah that has exclusive original jurisdiction over youth under 18 years of age who violate any federal, state or municipal law, and any child who is abused, neglected or dependent.

Validity: The extent to which an assessment accurately measures what it is intended to measure. The Utah Juvenile Court regularly conducts validity studies on their assessments to assure they are accurately predicting a youth’s criminogenic risk.

Victim Offender Mediation: A program that can be utilized when restitution is in dispute and/or to address the impact that an offense has had on a victim.

Warrant: An order issued by a juvenile court judge commanding and granting authority to a law enforcement officer to perform some act, usually an arrest, search, or seizure.

Webex: A group of virtual platforms that is utilized by the Utah Juvenile Court to conduct virtual hearings and probation meetings. May also be referred to as Webex Teams or Webex Meetings.

Work Crew: A program for youth to work off community service hours and/or restitution in a supervised environment.

Youth Court: A diversion program that works with youth who have committed minor offenses to address their behavior in an effort to prevent them from entering the juvenile justice system.

Youth Parole Authority (YPA): The agency responsible for establishing the terms of confinement (guidelines) for youth placed in Secure Care and authorizes the release of said youth to parole and/or termination from JJYS custody.

Youth Services: A formal program that diverts youth from the juvenile justice system. It provides immediate intervention by engaging and motivating youth and families to access resources and resolve conflict. It provides 24-hour crisis counseling to youth and their families in order to keep the family together and to keep the youth from entering the juvenile justice system. Youth who are experiencing family problems, have run away, are beyond the control of their parents, or have committed other status offenses may access Youth Services. Parents and/or the youth can receive youth services without participating in the juvenile justice system. Youth Services is appropriate for youth who have a minimal delinquency history.

Zeroing-In: The process of reviewing the results of the PRA and the BAW in collaboration with the youth and family. Zeroing-In seeks to: (a) identify priority risk items, (b) identify the connection between those identified risk items and the youth’s antisocial behavior, (c) motivate and engage the youth and family to participate in the case planning process, and (d) solicit information from the youth and family about protective items, incentives, and responsivity factors to include in the case plan.

Updated: March 2024