Function

• The primary function of all sentences in the juvenile justice system, including a sentence of probation, is rehabilitation.
  
  

Considerations

• A juvenile offender is deemed to have a better change of positive rehabilitation when she is in the least restrictive environment, according to "Juvenile Justice: The System, Process and Law," by Rolando V. del Carmen and Chad R. Trulson.
  
  

Family Support

• A key benefit of juvenile probation in some cases is direct access to family support. Remaining in the home allows a minimal amount of disruption in the juvenile's support system.
  
  

Education

• A sentence of juvenile probation permits an offender the ability to carry on with his education without undue interference. A common condition of juvenile probation is staying in school.
  
  

Community Resources

• While serving probation, a juvenile offender is able to access community-based services. These include substance-abuse treatment and mental health counseling as needed.
  
  

Misconceptions

• A common misconception associated with the juvenile justice system is that there is a preference to incarcerate youthful offenders. The system actually is designed to avoid this type of confinement whenever possible.