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- Section 1. Principles for Responding to Status Offenses
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Policy Position 4: Divert Youth from the Justice System
Youth are often better served if involvement in the justice system can be avoided. Most youth age out of delinquent behavior without any formal justice-system intervention. Unnecessarily exposing young people to the juvenile justice system can actually encourage future criminal activity rather than deter it. For many youth entering the justice system, the consequences of a single lapse in judgment can haunt them for a lifetime.
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