Three visions emerge from consideration of the juvenile court as a criminal court for children: the individualized, rehabilitative court; the children’s rights court; and the austere justice court. An alternative conception holds that society should understand and authorize the juvenile court not as a special criminal court for dealing with crimes committed by children but rather as a civil court administering a body of law regulating the conduct of parents, children and caretakers to advance the public’s interest in ensuring that children are decently cared for, effectively supervised, and properly trained for the tasks of citizenship. The article sets out the jurisprudential basis of this concept, traces its implications for the current organization and operations of the juvenile court, explains why it holds more promise than any other alternative, and indicates the issues that must be resolved before committing to this concept. References