Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119 § 53
Current with Act changes effective as of August 27, 2024
Sections fifty-two to sixty-three, inclusive, shall be liberally construed so that the care, custody and discipline of the children brought before the court shall approximate as nearly as possible that which they should receive from their parents, and that, as far as practicable, they shall be treated, not as criminals, but as children in need of aid, encouragement and guidance. Proceedings against children under said sections shall not be deemed criminal proceedings.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 53