Typically a juvenile is referred to juvenile court by a complaint from a law enforcement officer for conduct that could be a crime if committed by an adult. For less serious offenses, the juvenile and parents or guardians are referred to juvenile court services (JCS). The juvenile is assigned a juvenile court officer (JCO), a court employee who works with young people through the intake and informal adjustment processes. For more serious offenses, the matter may proceed to directly to juvenile court.
