THE NATURE OF THE COURT TODAY

This article surveys die current landscape of the juvenile court. The original concept of this court, when implemented by state legislatures , took different organizational forms. The length of judges' assignmen ts to this court varies as does the extent of their specialization. Th ese courts differ from one another in numerous ways such as the minimu m and maximum ages of their delinquency jurisdictions, the types of ca ses they are authorized to hear in addition to delinquency and child a buse and neglect, the extent to which referees or quasi-judicial heari ng officers hear cases, whether or not the juvenile probation departme nt is administered by the court, and the individual practices that con stitute particular court cultures. Today change in one form or another is common to all juvenile courts as this institution adapts to conten d with the delinquent behavior of young people and with the failures o f adults responsible for the well-being of their children.