Juvenile Crime
You might be angry with your child, or simply scared. Or you might feel a sense of guilt that your child committed a crime. When your child has been charged with a juvenile crime, whether it’s a first offense or a subsequent offense, the emotions are strong and often conflicting.
Protect Your Child’s Rights
Most of the time when a child is charged with a minor criminal offense, that child will go through the juvenile court system, which does not involve a jury. This court system assigns a sentence that is more tailored to his or her age. However, when the crime is more serious, the judge has the sole discretion to move the case into the adult court system.
Have You Asked Why?
There is often a connection between family related problems and juvenile offenses. When a child sees his parents fighting over such things as custody, alimony or property distribution, the child may react by acting out.
Common Juvenile Crimes
- Theft
- Underage drinking
- Drug possession
- Assault