Pertaining to juvenile justice, The stage of a delinquency proceeding comparable to the sentencing stage of an adult criminal trial. A disposition hearing is only held if a youth has pleaded guilty to an offense or is found guilty by the judge. Based on information provided by a youth’s defense attorney, the prosecutor, and the local probation department, the judge determines the youth’s needs and how best to meet them, while still ensuring the public’s protection. Judges generally place the youth under some type of supervision such as probation or placement in a secure confinement facility, and mandate services and/or participation in certain treatment or programming. The duration of this supervision and services varies, but cannot extend beyond the juvenile court’s maximum age of jurisdiction (typically, age 21). (JLC.org)