Florida legal term
Preventive services in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Preventive services” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Florida criminal code.
What does “Preventive services” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Preventive services” means social services and other supportive and evaluation and intervention services provided to the child or the parent, legal guardian, or custodian of the child for the purpose of averting the removal of the child from the home or disruption of a family which will or could result in an adjudication that orders the placement of a child under dependency supervision or into the delinquency system. (Fla. Stat. § 984.03)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.