Juvenile Justice

Has your child been charged with a criminal offense? Depending on the nature of the crime, being charged with a serious misdemeanor or felony can place your son or daughter behind bars. In a recent study, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Juvenile offenders accounted for nearly 11.9 percent of violent crimes - Including, 20.3 percent of property crimes that happen in the United States every day. Regardless of the child’s age, he or she can still be charged with a crime as an adult. The state law is mainly responsible for governing the juvenile law under the enacted juvenile code.
Has your child been involved in a criminal act and need a juvenile defense attorney?

Here are the most common offenses associated with juvenile crimes:

• Gang-related activities
• Shoplifting
• Curfew Violations
• Assault and Battery
• Date Rape
• Property Violations
• Underage Drinking
• Cruelty to Animals
• Drug Trafficking / Possession

When a child is sent through the juvenile court system, they have rights that are protected by law. In most states, juveniles often have more protected rights – such as court records that are not to be released to the public. Such records of a minor are sealed and are exempt once the minor becomes an adult, unless there are extenuating circumstances. When convicted of a crime, the juvenile may receive a sentence according to the statues of juvenile justice.
There are many legal options that a child convicted of a crime should be aware of. Speaking with an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer can assist you through the process of the juvenile court system. Rather than punish the young offender the main objective of the juvenile justice system is help rehabilitate.