The police report will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s office and the Probation Department to determine the necessary action. The age of the youth, prior delinquent history and the seriousness of the new offense are considered. Generally one of the following will occur:

(1) Dismiss the offense. This will occur when the elements to prove an offense cannot be met beyond a reasonable doubt.

(2) Take no action (open file). This will occur pending more information on the case.

(3) Refer to the probation department for diversion. The diversion includes an informal hearing with sanctions. The sanctions depend on the offense.

(4) The District Attorney may file a Petition (formal charges) which will generate an arraignment in the Juvenile Court.

(5) The offense is determined to be so egregious the District Attorney’s office files a motion to certify the juvenile. If the juvenile is certified he/she will be charged in the adult legal system.

Complete visiting requirements can be found on the Juvenile Probation Serives' page under Detention Visitation

Court is held every business day. If you have lost your paperwork, contact your assigned probation officer. It is your responsibility to attend your court hearing. There are no excuses allowed for missing court.

Juvenile Probation offers an array of services for youth and families. If you feel you need assistance, call the Juvenile Probation Department at 775-887-2033, and make an appointment to talk with a probation officer. Speaking with a probation officer does not equate to your child being supervised by a Juvenile Probation Officer.

There are also many resources available in the community, please see our Helpful Links list.

Due to the confidential nature of our facility and for reasons of safety and security, tours are not available for the general public. However, the Juvenile Probation Department would gladly assist with issues within the home.

As the legal guardian, if you fail to pick up your child from Juvenile Detention, not only will you be billed for the time your youth is in custody, but you also may be referred to the Division of Child and Family Services for abandoning your child. It is every parent’s responsibility to care for their child. We can only detain for the following reasons:

(1) If not detained, the child is likely to commit an offense dangerous to himself or to the community, or is likely to commit damage to property

(2) The child will run away or be taken away so as to be unavailable for proceedings of the Court or its officer

(3) The child is brought to the Juvenile Department pursuant to a Court Order or Warrant

(4) The child is a fugitive from another jurisdiction

 
Youth who are detained must have a Petition (formal charges) filed within eight judicial days from the date of arrest.

Once a youth is detained, the parent/guardian is charged a $30.00 fee for any 3 hours in a calendar day until ordered detained by a Judge. Detention hearings occur within 48 hours of being placed in custody each day Monday through Friday. There are no detention hearings on the weekend. Once the initial detention hearing has occurred and the youth remains in detention, the parent is no longer responsible for payment.

While you are a juvenile, your record is active and available to the department. Juvenile records are confidential and cannot be accessed by others. Juvenile records can be sealed under certain circumstances and are automatically sealed at age 21 or at age 30 for sex offenders.

If you are inquiring about your juvenile record to provide information to the military, you may provide this letter to them. Should they have any question, please have them call the Department of Juvenile Services at 775-887-2033 or Juvenile Court at 775-887-2038.

Sealed Juvenile Records Letter

 

The purpose of probation is to provide youth and parental support, family services, court supervision, community safety, accountability, competency development and court compliance.

The Juvenile Probation Department will assess risk to determine the necessity of whether a child needs to be detained or not. It is not based on the desire of the parent/guardian, or attitude. There are also statutory considerations which may limit our ability to detain a child.

Each child goes through a general medical screen questionnaire.

Also, we have either a Doctor or a physician’s assistant who visits the detention center Monday thru Friday (excluding holidays). During this time there is a general sick call as well as follow ups on preexisting medical issues

Information and the requirements for Juvenile Work Permits can be found by calling Juvenile Court at 775-887-2038.

Status offenses are offenses that would not apply to an adult such as, Runaway, CHINS (Child in Need of Supervision), Incorrigible, Curfew and Truancy.

They are very similar. The juvenile system offers no bail and does not have a jury.

 
The terminology is a little different. Both use the word arraignment to admit or deny an offense. The juvenile court term for Trial is Fact Finding Hearing; the juvenile court term for Sentencing is Disposition Hearing. Juveniles don’t commit crimes, they commit delinquent offenses. The basic rights are the same with the defendant having the right of an attorney, and the right against self-incrimination.

 
Below are the statutory reasons to detain a child in Juvenile Detention. Again, there is no bail:

• If not detained, the child is likely to commit an offense dangerous to himself or to the community, or is likely to commit damage to property
• The child will run away or be taken away so as to be unavailable for proceedings of the Court or its officer
• The child is brought to the Juvenile Department pursuant to a Court Order or Warrant
• The child is a fugitive from another jurisdiction
•  Youth who are detained must have a Petition (formal charges) filed within eight judicial days from the date of arrest

The term guilty is not common in the Juvenile Court. A child can admit to the offense or he/she is found to have committed the offense by the Juvenile Court Judge. Following an admission or finding of committing an offense, a dispositional hearing will be held. Prior to that hearing a probation officer will do a pre-sentencing investigation and a written report to the court with recommendations.

The Court usually has two options at the time of disposition:

• Place the child in State corrections (no probation). Child is placed by the Division of Child and Family Services in either the Nevada Youth training Center in Elko, Nevada or the Caliente youth Center in Caliente, Nevada.
• Place the child on probation with conditions that require compliance and must be completed.  In the First Judicial Court we have 14 standard conditions of probation.
  

Juvenile Court has jurisdiction until age 21. Probation will be terminated when terms are met and supervision is deemed no longer necessary or age 21.

Emancipation enables a child to live and function as an adult. It allows them to enter in contracts and agreements. If you are arrested or cited while emancipated, your case will still be treated as if you were a juvenile. Emancipation is for those children who act responsibly and can function as a responsible adult. It is not for those who no longer wish to be treated as a child or those who don’t want to obey their parents. Maturity and responsibility are key to being emancipated. It rarely happens.

Please contact the Division of Child and Family Services at 775-687-4943

Please contact the Division of Child and Family Services at 775-687-4943. They are the agency that decides what is abuse and what is discipline.

You can have your son/daughter arrested for any offense you witness or suspect.  You can also call the Sheriff’s Office when you believe your child is no longer manageable at home.  However, it is always the officer’s decision to take a child into custody or not.

Due to confidentiality, police reports cannot be released by the Carson City Juvenile Probation Services Department.

The Juvenile Court is the gate keeper of all court documents. For specific documents, you must make a formal request to the Juvenile Court.

Please see N.R.S. Chapter 62H

 

If you are inquiring about your juvenile record to provide information to the military, you may provide this letter to them. Should they have any question, please have them call the Juvenile Probation office at 775-887-2033 or Juvenile Court at 775-887-2038.

Sealed Juvenile Records Letter