It is all too easy for young people to make poor decisions. Drug use, theft, and computer crimes are traps many young people fall into. Neuroscientists estimate that a person’s prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for judgment, does not fully develop until after age 20. Combined with the bad influences surrounding many teens, it is no wonder some teens stumble and find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

However, punishing a person for a lifetime after one youthful mistake is not in anyone’s best interest. The juvenile court, therefore, looks to rehabilitate teens rather than