Investigating Juvenile Offenses

Responsibilities & Response

The Juvenile Bureau is responsible for investigating juvenile offenses, and for preparing and filing juvenile delinquency complaints with the Monmouth County Family Court. Many minor juvenile offenses can be resolved through a process known as a "station house adjustment." Station house adjustments are used to resolve minor offenses when the juvenile has no record of prior acts of delinquency.

The juvenile officer usually asks the juvenile, a parent or guardian, and the victim, to come to the station house to discuss the offense. The officer may refer a juvenile for needed services, and, if property has been stolen or damaged, ask the juvenile to make restitution in some form. Keep in mind that a victim can and may object to this form of punishment and request that the complaint be forwarded to the Family Court.