Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

3-801.

(a) In this subtitle, the following words have the meanings indicated, unless
the context of their use indicates otherwise.

(t) (1) ''Victim" means a person who suffers direct or threatened physical,
emotional, or financial harm as a result of a delinquent act.

(2) "Victim" includes a family member of a minor, [incompetent]
DISABLED, or a [homicide] DECEASED victim.

(3) "Victim" includes, if the victim is not an individual, the victim's agent
or designee.

3-802.

(a) The purposes of this subtitle are:

(1) To ensure that the Juvenile Justice System balances the following
objectives for children who have committed delinquent acts:

(i) Public safety and the protection of the community;

(ii) Accountability of the child to the victim and the community for
offenses committed; and

(iii) Competency and character development to assist children in
becoming responsible and productive members of society;

(2) To hold parents of children found to be delinquent responsible for the
child's behavior and accountable to the victim and the community;

(3) To hold parents of children found to be delinquent or in need of
assistance or supervision responsible, where possible, for remedying the
circumstances that required the court's intervention;

(4) To provide for the care, protection, and wholesome mental and
physical development of children coming within the provisions of this subtitle; and to
provide for a program of treatment, training, and rehabilitation consistent with the
child's best interests and the protection of the public interest;

(5) To conserve and strengthen the child's family ties and to separate a
child from his parents only when necessary for his welfare or in the interest of public
safety;

(6) If necessary to remove a child from his home, to secure for him
custody, care, and discipline as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should
have been given by his parents; and

(7) To provide judicial procedures for carrying out the provisions of this

subtitle.

(b) This subtitle shall be liberally construed to effectuate these purposes.