5/6/20261/1/2027Amended by Chapter 135, 2026 General Session2026Juvenile Code definitions.Except as provided in Section 80-6-1103, as used in this title:"Abuse" means:nonaccidental harm of a child;threatened harm of a child;sexual exploitation;sexual abuse; orhuman trafficking of a child for labor in violation of Section 76-5-308.5;human trafficking of a child for commercial sexual exploitation in violation of Section 76-5-308.6; orthat a child's parent:intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes the death of another parent of the child;is identified by a law enforcement agency as the primary suspect in an investigation for intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing the death of another parent of the child; oris being prosecuted for or has been convicted of intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing the death of another parent of the child."Abuse" does not include:reasonable discipline or management of a child, including withholding privileges;conduct described in Section 76-2-401; orthe use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint or force on a child:in self-defense;in defense of others;to protect the child; orto remove a weapon in the possession of a child for any of the reasons described in Subsections (1)(b)(iii)(A) through (C)."Abused child" means a child who has been subjected to abuse."Adjudication" means, except as provided in Subsection (3)(b):for a delinquency petition or criminal information under Chapter 6, Juvenile Justice:a finding by the juvenile court that the facts alleged in a delinquency petition or criminal information alleging that a minor committed an offense have been proved;an admission by a minor in the juvenile court as described in Section 80-6-306; ora plea of no contest by a minor in the juvenile court; orfor all other proceedings under this title, a finding by the juvenile court that the facts alleged in the petition have been proved."Adjudication" does not include:an admission by a minor described in Section 80-6-306 until the juvenile court enters the minor's admission; ora finding of not competent to proceed in accordance with Section 80-6-402."Adult" means an individual who is 18 years old or older."Adult" does not include an individual:who is 18 years old or older; andwho is a minor."Attorney guardian ad litem" means the same as that term is defined in Section 78A-2-801."Board" means the Board of Juvenile Court Judges."Child" means, except as provided in Section 80-2-905, an individual who is under 18 years old."Child and family plan" means a written agreement between a child's parents or guardian and the Division of Child and Family Services as described in Section 80-3-307."Child placing" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-2-101."Child-placing agency" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-2-101."Child protection team" means a team consisting of:the child welfare caseworker assigned to the case;if applicable, the child welfare caseworker who made the decision to remove the child;a representative of the school or school district where the child attends school;if applicable, the law enforcement officer who removed the child from the home;a representative of the appropriate Children's Justice Center, if one is established within the county where the child resides;if appropriate, and known to the division, a therapist or counselor who is familiar with the child's circumstances;if appropriate, a representative of law enforcement selected by the chief of police or sheriff in the city or county where the child resides; andany other individuals determined appropriate and necessary by the team coordinator and chair."Chronic abuse" means repeated or patterned abuse."Chronic abuse" does not mean an isolated incident of abuse."Chronic neglect" means repeated or patterned neglect."Chronic neglect" does not mean an isolated incident of neglect."Clandestine laboratory operation" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-18-501."Commit" or "committed" means, unless specified otherwise:with respect to a child, to transfer legal custody; andwith respect to a minor who is at least 18 years old, to transfer custody."Community-based program" means a nonsecure residential or nonresidential program, designated to supervise and rehabilitate juvenile offenders, that prioritizes the least restrictive setting, consistent with public safety, and operated by or under contract with the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services."Community placement" means placement of a minor in a community-based program described in Section 80-5-402."Correctional facility" means:a county jail; ora secure correctional facility as defined in Section 64-13-1."Criminogenic risk factors" means evidence-based factors that are associated with a minor's likelihood of reoffending."Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services created in Section 26B-1-201."Dependent child" or "dependency" means a child who is without proper care through no fault of the child's parent, guardian, or custodian."Deprivation of custody" means transfer of legal custody by the juvenile court from a parent or a previous custodian to another person, agency, or institution."Detention" means home detention or secure detention."Detention facility" means a facility, established by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services in accordance with Section 80-5-501, for minors held in detention."Detention risk assessment tool" means an evidence-based tool established under Section 80-5-203 that:assesses a minor's risk of failing to appear in court or reoffending before adjudication; andis designed to assist in making a determination of whether a minor shall be held in detention."Developmental immaturity" means incomplete development in one or more domains that manifests as a functional limitation in the minor's present ability to:consult with counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding; andhave a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings."Disposition" means an order by a juvenile court, after the adjudication of a minor, under Section 80-3-405 or 80-4-305 or Chapter 6, Part 7, Adjudication and Disposition."Educational neglect" means that, after receiving a notice of compulsory education violation under Section 53G-6-202, the parent or guardian fails to make a good faith effort to ensure that the child receives an appropriate education."Educational series" means an evidence-based instructional series:obtained at a substance abuse program that is approved by the Division of Integrated Healthcare in accordance with Section 26B-5-104; anddesigned to prevent substance use or the onset of a mental health disorder."Emancipated" means the same as that term is defined in Section 80-7-102."Evidence-based" means a program or practice that has had multiple randomized control studies or a meta-analysis demonstrating that the program or practice is effective for a specific population or has been rated as effective by a standardized program evaluation tool."Expressed interest" means the goals, desires, outcomes, or wishes that a minor has expressed."Forensic evaluator" means the same as that term is defined in Section 77-15-2."Formal probation" means a minor is:supervised in the community by, and reports to, a juvenile probation officer or an agency designated by the juvenile court; andsubject to return to the juvenile court in accordance with Section 80-6-607."Gender identity" means the same as that term is defined in Section 34A-5-102."Group rehabilitation therapy" means psychological and social counseling of one or more individuals in the group, depending upon the recommendation of the therapist."Guardian" means a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding a minor, including the authority to consent to:marriage;enlistment in the armed forces;major medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment; orlegal custody, if legal custody is not vested in another individual, agency, or institution."Guardian ad litem" means the same as that term is defined in Section 78A-2-801."Harm" means:physical or developmental injury or damage;emotional damage that results in a serious impairment in the child's growth, development, behavior, or psychological functioning;sexual abuse; orsexual exploitation."Home detention" means placement of a minor:if before a disposition, in the minor's home, or in a surrogate home with the consent of the minor's parent, guardian, or custodian, under terms and conditions established by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services or the juvenile court; orif after a disposition, and in accordance with Section 78A-6-353 or 80-6-704, in the minor's home, or in a surrogate home with the consent of the minor's parent, guardian, or custodian, under terms and conditions established by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services or the juvenile court."Incest" means engaging in sexual intercourse with an individual whom the perpetrator knows to be the perpetrator's ancestor, descendant, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or first cousin."Incest" includes:blood relationships of the whole or half blood, regardless of whether the relationship is legally recognized;relationships of parent and child by adoption; andrelationships of stepparent and stepchild while the marriage creating the relationship of a stepparent and stepchild exists."Indian child" means the same as that term is defined in 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1903."Indian tribe" means the same as that term is defined in 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1903."Indigent defense service provider" means the same as that term is defined in Section 78B-22-102."Indigent defense services" means the same as that term is defined in Section 78B-22-102."Indigent individual" means the same as that term is defined in Section 78B-22-102."Intake probation" means a minor is:monitored by a juvenile probation officer; andsubject to return to the juvenile court in accordance with Section 80-6-607."Intake probation" does not include formal probation."Intellectual disability" means a significant subaverage general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior that constitutes a substantial limitation to the individual's ability to function in society."Juvenile offender" means:a serious youth offender; ora youth offender."Juvenile probation officer" means a probation officer appointed under Section 78A-6-205."Juvenile receiving center" means a nonsecure, nonresidential program established by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, or under contract with the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, that is responsible for minors taken into temporary custody under Section 80-6-201."Legal custody" means a relationship embodying:the right to physical custody of the minor;the right and duty to protect, train, and discipline the minor;the duty to provide the minor with food, clothing, shelter, education, and ordinary medical care;the right to determine where and with whom the minor shall live; andthe right, in an emergency, to authorize surgery or other extraordinary care."Licensing Information System" means the Licensing Information System maintained by the Division of Child and Family Services under Section 80-2-1002."Management Information System" means the Management Information System developed by the Division of Child and Family Services under Section 80-2-1001."Mental illness" means:a psychiatric disorder that substantially impairs an individual's mental, emotional, behavioral, or related functioning; orthe same as that term is defined in:the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association; orthe current edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems."Minor" means, except as provided in Sections 80-6-501, 80-6-901, and 80-7-102:a child; oran individual:who is at least 18 years old and younger than 21 years old; andfor whom the Division of Child and Family Services has been specifically ordered by the juvenile court to provide services because the individual was an abused, neglected, or dependent child or because the individual was adjudicated for an offense;who is at least 18 years old and younger than 25 years old; andwhose case is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in accordance with Subsection 78A-6-103(1)(b); orwho is at least 18 years old and younger than 21 years old; andwhose case is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in accordance with Subsection 78A-6-103(1)(c)."Mobile crisis outreach team" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-5-101."Molestation" means that an individual, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any individual, touches the anus, buttocks, pubic area, or genitalia of any child, or the breast of a female child, or takes indecent liberties with a child as defined in Section 76-5-401.1."Neglect" means action or inaction causing:abandonment of a child, except as provided in Chapter 4, Part 5, Safe Relinquishment of a Newborn Child;lack of proper parental care of a child by reason of the fault or habits of the parent, guardian, or custodian;failure or refusal of a parent, guardian, or custodian to provide proper or necessary subsistence or medical care, or any other care necessary for the child's health, safety, morals, or well-being;a child to be at risk of being neglected or abused because another child in the same home is neglected or abused;abandonment of a child through an unregulated child custody transfer under Section 81-14-203; oreducational neglect."Neglect" does not include:a parent or guardian legitimately practicing religious beliefs and who, for that reason, does not provide specified medical treatment for a child;a health care decision made for a child by the child's parent or guardian, unless the state or other party to a proceeding shows, by clear and convincing evidence, that the health care decision is not reasonable and informed;a parent or guardian exercising the right described in Section 80-3-304; orpermitting a child, whose basic needs are met and who is of sufficient age and maturity to avoid harm or unreasonable risk of harm, to engage in independent activities, including:traveling to and from school, including by walking, running, or bicycling;traveling to and from nearby commercial or recreational facilities;engaging in outdoor play;remaining in a vehicle unattended, except under the conditions described in Subsection 76-5-115(2);remaining at home unattended; orengaging in a similar independent activity."Neglected child" means a child who has been subjected to neglect."Nonjudicial adjustment" means closure of the case by the assigned juvenile probation officer, without an adjudication of the minor's case under Section 80-6-701, upon the consent in writing of:the assigned juvenile probation officer; andthe minor; orthe minor and the minor's parent, guardian, or custodian."Not competent to proceed" means that a minor, due to a mental illness, intellectual disability or related condition, or developmental immaturity, lacks the ability to:understand the nature of the proceedings against the minor or of the potential disposition for the offense charged; orconsult with counsel and participate in the proceedings against the minor with a reasonable degree of rational understanding."Parent" means, except as provided in Section 80-3-302, an individual with a parent-child relationship, as defined in Section 81-5-102, to a minor."Parent" includes the minor's noncustodial parent as defined in Section 81-1-101."Parole" means a conditional release of a juvenile offender from residency in secure care to live outside of secure care under the supervision of the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, or another person designated by the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services."Physical abuse" means abuse that results in physical injury or damage to a child."Probation" means a legal status created by court order, following an adjudication under Section 80-6-701, whereby the minor is permitted to remain in the minor's home under prescribed conditions."Probation" includes intake probation or formal probation."Prosecuting attorney" means:the attorney general and any assistant attorney general;any district attorney or deputy district attorney;any county attorney or assistant county attorney; andany other attorney authorized to commence an action on behalf of the state."Protective custody" means the shelter of a child by the Division of Child and Family Services from the time the child is removed from the home until the earlier of:the day on which the shelter hearing is held under Section 80-3-301; orthe day on which the child is returned home."Protective services" means expedited services that are provided:in response to evidence of neglect, abuse, or dependency of a child;to a cohabitant who is neglecting or abusing a child, in order to:help the cohabitant develop recognition of the cohabitant's duty of care and of the causes of neglect or abuse; andstrengthen the cohabitant's ability to provide safe and acceptable care; andin cases where the child's welfare is endangered:to bring the situation to the attention of the appropriate juvenile court and law enforcement agency;to cause a protective order to be issued for the protection of the child, when appropriate; andto protect the child from the circumstances that endanger the child's welfare including, when appropriate:removal from the child's home;placement in substitute care; andpetitioning the court for termination of parental rights."Protective supervision" means a legal status created by court order, following an adjudication on the ground of abuse, neglect, or dependency, whereby:the minor is permitted to remain in the minor's home; andsupervision and assistance to correct the abuse, neglect, or dependency is provided by an agency designated by the juvenile court."Related condition" means a condition that:is found to be closely related to intellectual disability;results in impairment of general intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior similar to that of an intellectually disabled individual;is likely to continue indefinitely; andconstitutes a substantial limitation to the individual's ability to function in society."Related condition" does not include mental illness, psychiatric impairment, or serious emotional or behavioral disturbance."Residual parental rights and duties" means the rights and duties remaining with a parent after legal custody or guardianship, or both, have been vested in another person or agency, including:the responsibility for support;the right to consent to adoption;the right to determine the child's religious affiliation; andthe right to reasonable parent-time unless restricted by the court.If no guardian has been appointed, "residual parental rights and duties" includes the right to consent to:marriage;enlistment; andmajor medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment."Runaway" means a child, other than an emancipated child, who willfully leaves the home of the child's parent or guardian, or the lawfully prescribed residence of the child, without permission."Secure care" means placement of a minor, who is committed to the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services for rehabilitation, in a facility operated by, or under contract with, the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, that provides 24-hour supervision and confinement of the minor."Secure care facility" means a facility, established in accordance with Section 80-5-503, for juvenile offenders in secure care."Secure detention" means temporary care of a minor who requires secure custody in a physically restricting facility operated by, or under contract with, the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services:before disposition of an offense that is alleged to have been committed by the minor; orunder Section 80-6-704."Serious youth offender" means an individual who:is at least 14 years old, but under 25 years old;committed a felony listed in Subsection 80-6-503(1) and the continuing jurisdiction of the juvenile court was extended over the individual's case until the individual was 25 years old in accordance with Section 80-6-605; andis committed by the juvenile court to the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services for secure care under Sections 80-6-703 and 80-6-705."Severe abuse" means abuse that causes or threatens to cause serious harm to a child."Severe neglect" means neglect that causes or threatens to cause serious harm to a child."Severe type of child abuse or neglect" means, except as provided in Subsection (80)(b):if committed by an individual who is 18 years old or older:chronic abuse;severe abuse;sexual abuse;sexual exploitation;abandonment;chronic neglect; orsevere neglect; orif committed by an individual who is under 18 years old:causing serious injury, as defined in Subsection 76-5-109(1), to another child that indicates a significant risk to other children; orsexual behavior with or upon another child that indicates a significant risk to other children."Severe type of child abuse or neglect" does not include:the use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint by an educator in accordance with Section 53G-8-301 or Section 76-2-401;an individual's conduct that is justified under Section 76-2-401 or constitutes the use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint or force in self-defense or otherwise appropriate to the circumstances to obtain possession of a weapon or other dangerous object in the possession or under the control of a child or to protect the child or another individual from physical injury; ora health care decision made for a child by a child's parent or guardian, unless, subject to Subsection (80)(c), the state or other party to the proceeding shows, by clear and convincing evidence, that the health care decision is not reasonable and informed.Subsection (80)(b)(iii) does not prohibit a parent or guardian from exercising the right to obtain a second health care opinion."Sexual abuse" means:an act or attempted act of sexual intercourse, sodomy, incest, or molestation by an adult directed towards a child;an act or attempted act of sexual intercourse, sodomy, incest, or molestation committed by a child towards another child if:there is an indication of force or coercion;the children are related, as described in Subsection (41), including siblings by marriage while the marriage exists or by adoption; orthe act or attempted act constitutes unlawful sexual activity as described in Section 76-5-401.3.engaging in any conduct with a child that would constitute an offense under any of the following, regardless of whether the individual who engages in the conduct is actually charged with, or convicted of, the offense:Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, Sexual Offenses;child bigamy, Section 76-7-101.5;incest, Section 76-7-102;voyeurism, Section 76-12-306;recorded or photographed voyeurism, Section 76-12-307; ordistribution of images obtained through voyeurism, Section 76-12-308; orsubjecting a child to participate in or threatening to subject a child to participate in a sexual relationship, regardless of whether that sexual relationship is part of a legal or cultural marriage."Sexual abuse" does not include engaging in any conduct with a child that would constitute an offense described in:Section 76-5-401, unlawful sexual activity with a minor, if the alleged perpetrator of the offense is a minor; orSection 76-5-417, enticing a minor."Sexual exploitation" means knowingly:employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any child to:pose in the nude for the purpose of sexual arousal of any individual; orengage in any sexual or simulated sexual conduct for the purpose of photographing, filming, recording, or displaying in any way the sexual or simulated sexual conduct;displaying, distributing, possessing for the purpose of distribution, or selling material depicting a child:in the nude, for the purpose of sexual arousal of any individual; orengaging in sexual or simulated sexual conduct; orengaging in any conduct that would constitute an offense under Section 76-5b-201, sexual exploitation of a minor, Section 76-5b-201.1, aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, Section 76-5b-207, possession of apparent child sexual abuse material, Section 76-5b-208, distribution of apparent child sexual abuse material, or Section 76-5b-209, unlawful activity regarding obscene material depicting the sexual abuse of a minor, regardless of whether the individual who engages in the conduct is actually charged with, or convicted of, the offense."Shelter" means the temporary care of a child in a physically unrestricted facility pending a disposition or transfer to another jurisdiction."Shelter facility" means a nonsecure facility that provides shelter for a minor."Significant risk" means a risk of harm that is determined to be significant in accordance with risk assessment tools and rules established by the Division of Child and Family Services in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, that focus on:age;social factors;emotional factors;sexual factors;intellectual factors;family risk factors; andother related considerations."Single criminal episode" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-1-401."Status offense" means an offense that would not be an offense but for the age of the offender."Substance abuse" means, except as provided in Section 80-2-603, the misuse or excessive use of alcohol or other drugs or substances."Substantiated" or "substantiation" means a judicial finding based on a preponderance of the evidence, and separate consideration of each allegation made or identified in the case, that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred."Substitute care" means:the placement of a minor in a family home, group care facility, or other placement outside the minor's own home, either at the request of a parent or other responsible relative, or upon court order, when it is determined that continuation of care in the minor's own home would be contrary to the minor's welfare;services provided for a minor in the protective custody of the Division of Child and Family Services, or a minor in the temporary custody or custody of the Division of Child and Family Services, as those terms are defined in Section 80-2-102; orthe licensing and supervision of a substitute care facility."Supported" means a finding by the Division of Child and Family Services based on the evidence available at the completion of an investigation, and separate consideration of each allegation made or identified during the investigation, that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred."Termination of parental rights" means the permanent elimination of all parental rights and duties, including residual parental rights and duties, by court order."Therapist" means:an individual employed by a state division or agency for the purpose of conducting psychological treatment and counseling of a minor in the division's or agency's custody; orany other individual licensed or approved by the state for the purpose of conducting psychological treatment and counseling."Threatened harm" means actions, inactions, or credible verbal threats, indicating that the child is at an unreasonable risk of harm or neglect."Torture" means:the infliction of a serious injury upon a child in an exceptionally cruel or exceptionally depraved manner that causes the child to experience extreme physical or psychological pain or anguish; orthe infliction of a serious injury, or more than one serious injury, upon a child as part of a course of conduct or over a prolonged period of time."Ungovernable" means a child in conflict with a parent or guardian, and the conflict:results in behavior that is beyond the control or ability of the child, or the parent or guardian, to manage effectively;poses a threat to the safety or well-being of the child, the child's family, or others; orresults in the situations described in Subsections (96)(a) and (b)."Unsubstantiated" means a judicial finding that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred."Unsupported" means a finding by the Division of Child and Family Services at the completion of an investigation, after the day on which the Division of Child and Family Services concludes the alleged abuse, neglect, or dependency is not without merit, that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred."Validated risk and needs assessment" means an evidence-based tool that assesses a minor's risk of reoffending and a minor's criminogenic needs."Without merit" means a finding at the completion of an investigation by the Division of Child and Family Services, or a judicial finding, that the alleged abuse, neglect, or dependency did not occur, or that the alleged perpetrator was not responsible for the abuse, neglect, or dependency."Youth offender" means an individual who is:at least 12 years old, but under 21 years old; andcommitted by the juvenile court to the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services for secure care under Sections 80-6-703 and 80-6-705.