(1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
(a) The juvenile justice system is civil in nature and focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment;
(b) Juveniles differ in significant and substantive ways from adults; therefore, different standards for competency are necessary for juveniles and adults; and
(c) Notwithstanding the differences between adults and juveniles, age alone is not determinative of incompetence without a finding that the juvenile actually lacks the relevant capacities for competence.
Source: L. 2021: Entire article added with relocations, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 610, § 2, effective October 1.