Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

When must juveniles be fingerprinted and photographed?

1. Charging documentation only

2. When taken into custody

3. Charged with a delinquent act or felonies

4. All juvenile offenders irrespective of charges

The correct answer is: Charged with a delinquent act or felonies

The correct circumstance for when juveniles must be fingerprinted and photographed is when they are charged with a delinquent act or felonies. This is based on legal guidelines and policies that ensure proper identification and record-keeping of individuals who are formally charged. Fingerprinting and photographing serve several purposes, including maintaining accurate records of delinquent behavior and ensuring that law enforcement can track the juvenile's interactions with the justice system. When a juvenile is charged with a delinquent act or a felony, it indicates that there is a legal basis for processing them within the criminal justice system. This procedure helps uphold the integrity of the law and can play a role in any subsequent legal proceedings. By establishing a record at this stage, it allows for consistency in how juvenile offenders are treated and provides necessary documentation for potential future encounters with the justice system. The options that involve charging documentation only, being taken into custody, or including all juvenile offenders regardless of their charges do not accurately capture the specific requirement associated with formal charges of delinquency or felonies, thus making those choices less appropriate in this context.