1. (a) The purposes of this subtitle are:

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

      1. (i) Public safety and the protection of the community;
      2. (ii) Accountability of the child to the victim and the community for offenses committed; and
      3. (iii) Competency and character development to assist children in becoming responsible and productive members of society;
   2. (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. (3) To hold parents of children found to be delinquent or in need of supervision responsible, where possible, for remedying the circumstances that required the court's intervention;
   4. (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. (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. (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;

   7. (7) To provide to children in State care and custody:

      1. (i) A safe, humane, and caring environment; and
      2. (ii) Access to required services; and
   8. (8) To provide judicial procedures for carrying out the provisions of this subtitle.
2. (b) This subtitle shall be liberally construed to effectuate these purposes.

Added as Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-802 by Acts 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 2, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1974, c. 691, § 8; Acts 1975, c. 554, §§ 1, 3; Acts 1995, c. 11, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, c. 532, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, c. 619, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1999. Renumbered as Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-8A-02 and amended by Acts 2001, c. 415, § 6, eff. Oct. 1, 2001. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 396, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2002.

Formerly Art. 26, § 70.