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“Under our Constitution, the condition of being a boy does not justify a kangaroo court.”

— In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967)

California Juvenile Justice

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This section includes information for California on how the juvenile justice system works; some of the characteristics of youth in the juvenile justice system; what can happen to youth who go through the juvenile system; and what can happen to youth who are tried as adults. It has information on the critical importance of asserting the right to have an attorney present at every step of the process.