Instead of taking a child into custody, when can a warning notice be issued?

• A. When there exist established departmental guides for the use of warning notices, the disposition is authorized by the guidelines, the guidelines have been approved by the juvenile court, and the notice identifies the child and describes their alleged conduct.
• B. When the judge approves.
• C. Only when the parent consents.
• D. When the child pleads guilty.

Answer: (A)

A warning notice can be issued instead of taking a child into custody when there are established departmental guidelines that authorize their use, the disposition is authorized by those guidelines, the juvenile court has approved the guidelines, and the notice clearly identifies the child and describes the alleged conduct. This framework ensures the process is policy-driven, non-custodial, and provides clarity about who is involved and what behavior is being addressed. The judge’s approval on a case-by-case basis isn’t required beyond the guidelines, parental consent isn’t needed for this option, and a guilty plea pertains to a different, formal adjudicatory process rather than issuing a warning notice.