In many jurisdictions, juvenile adjudications under Rule 609 are generally:

• A. Always admissible to impeach a witness.
• B. Often given less weight or excluded.
• C. Automatically disallowed in all circumstances.
• D. Equivalent to adult prior convictions for credibility.

Answer: (B)

Rule 609 treats prior bad acts used to impeach a witness, and juvenile adjudications are given special, cautious handling. A juvenile record isn’t the same as an adult conviction, and courts recognize that youths have greater potential for rehabilitation and that juvenile proceedings carry different implications for reliability. Because of these differences, juvenile adjudications are not automatically admissible and, when they are admitted, they are generally weighed less heavily or may be excluded altogether. This approach aims to balance the need to assess credibility with the concern for fairness and reducing undue prejudice to a youthful defendant or witness. There are limited exceptions in some cases (for offenses that would be felonies if committed by an adult), but the prevailing practice in many jurisdictions is to treat juvenile adjudications as less probative.