(a) Purposes of subtitle.- The purposes of this subtitle are: |
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(1) To ensure that the Juvenile Justice System balances the following objectives for children who have committed delinquent acts: |
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(i) Public safety and the protection of the community; |
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(ii) Accountability of the child to the victim and the community for offenses committed; and |
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(iii) Competency and character development to assist children in becoming responsible and productive members of society; |
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(2) To hold parents of children found to be delinquent responsible for the child's behavior and accountable to the victim and the community; |
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(3) To hold parents of children found to be delinquent or in need of supervision responsible, where possible, for remedying the circumstances that required the court's intervention; |
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(4) To provide for the care, protection, and wholesome mental and physical development of children coming within the provisions of this subtitle; and to provide for a program of treatment, training, and rehabilitation consistent with the child's best interests and the protection of the public interest; |
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(5) To conserve and strengthen the child's family ties and to separate a child from his parents only when necessary for his welfare or in the interest of public safety; |
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(6) If necessary to remove a child from his home, to secure for him custody, care, and discipline as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should have been given by his parents; |
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(7) To provide to children in State care and custody: |
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(i) A safe, humane, and caring environment; and |
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(ii) Access to required services; and |
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(8) To provide judicial procedures for carrying out the provisions of this subtitle. |
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(b) Construction of subtitle.- This subtitle shall be liberally construed to effectuate these purposes. |
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[An. Code 1957, art. 26, § 70; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 2, § 1; 1974, ch. 691, § 8; 1975, ch. 554, §§ 1, 3; 1995, ch. 11; 1997, ch. 532; 1999, ch. 619; 2001, ch. 415, § 6; 2002, ch. 396.] |
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