It was produced by the Illinois Juvenile Court Watching Project under a grant to the League of Women Voters of Illinois from the Illinois Law Enforcement Commission. Using a question and answer format, the handbook first explains the court's current purposes and its differences from adult courts. Additional sections explain juveniles' rights and identify the four categories of juveniles (delinquent minors, minors otherwise in need of supervision, neglected minors, and dependent minors) who are subject to the provisions of the State's Juvenile Court Act. The handbook continues with explanations of each of the following steps in the juvenile justice process: apprehension by police, juvenile officer's options, shelter care detention, intake interview, shelter care and detention hearings, preliminary conference, transfer hearing, adjudicatory hearing, special investigation, dispositional hearing, and additional hearings and appeals. The disposition's implications for the child, the guardian, and parental rights and responsibilities are explained. A diagram showing the steps in the juvenile court process and a glossary are included.