Abstract
I. Introduction When the number of status offenders 1 adjudicated in juvenile court is on the rise, it is a reminder that lawyering in the juvenile justice system is a serious endeavor; that defense lawyers need to fully defend and protect the rights of youths charged with crimes. Some lawyers negotiate plea-bargains for their clients without a thorough examination of the merits of the case. Some juveniles, along with their parents, waive their right to counsel on the belief that the consequences cannot be too serious because "it is only juvenile court." Although sentencing schemes vary by jurisdiction, in most states a juvenile delinquency disposition is capable of being enforced until the age of majority. 2 It is not uncommon for judges to sentence juveniles to suspended sentences, requiring as part of the conditions of their probation regular attendance in school, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and a curfew. Suspended sentences and terms of probation are particularly attractive dispositions to judges because they provide a mechanism for the court to monitor a child's behavior and determine if there are other issues affecting the child that, although unrelated to the crime, previously have gone untreated. A violation of probation is probably the most common reason a juvenile is waived back into court. Despite the fact that the original crime may have been a relatively minor offense, such as vandalism or disrupting lawful assembly, sentences of confinement are routinely imposed on kids for failure to abide by the terms and conditions ...