Criminal Law Consulting
​For Writers & Filmmakers
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Free eBook

When Kids Commit Crimes

11/11/2011

2 Comments

 
When kids commit crimes, they can end up in the juvenile justice system.  In many ways, juvenile criminal law is its own unique system.  There is some overlap with the adult criminal justice system, but there are many key differences.  

The ostensible purpose of the juvenile justice system is to try to rehabilitate children who have gone astray.  The theory is that children who have committed crimes may simply be misguided, and there is still hope to save them from a life of crime.  For the most part, adult offenders are considered to be beyond rehabilitation, and the primary goals of the criminal justice system are to punish and prevent further crime through deterrence and incapacitation.

Juveniles have different courts and different rights.  Usually children have less rights than adults.  On the flip side, juvenile offenses usually do not carry the same stigma or harsh consequences as adult convictions.   

Like adults, juveniles have a right to an attorney.  Unlike adults, however, they have no right to a jury trial.  Juvenile court judges  have tremendous discretion when deciding what happens to a child who has committed a crime - they can send the child home, to a group home placement, to treatment, or to juvenile hall.  If a minor fails in one setting, the judge may try a different one.  Minors also have less right to privacy compared to adults, so they can be searched under circumstances where an adult could not, like at school. 

Sometimes a court will decide that a particular child who committed a particular crime should be tried as an adult.  This may happen if the child is particularly mature or the crime was particularly sophisticated or violent.  When that happens, the case is transferred to a regular adult criminal court.  At that point, all the rights, procedures and protections that normally apply to adults then apply to the child.
2 Comments
itsonlyamodel mfc link
9/26/2013 12:14:03 pm

Found your site from another blog and wanted to see where I could find more info

Reply
Blythe
9/30/2013 12:50:46 am

I'm glad you found the site. Hopefully you found the information you were looking for. If you have specific questions, feel free to contact me.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Get your FREE E-Book revealing The Top 7 Mistakes Made by Writers of Crime, Mystery and Legal Drama:
    Send My Free E-Book!

    Author

    Blythe Leszkay is a successful and experienced criminal attorney, criminal law professor, and consultant to writers and filmmakers.  See About Me.  This blog is intended to answer common criminal law questions, dispel misconceptions, and explain misunderstood criminal law concepts.  It is also a place to discuss any crime or law related topics of interest.  Contact me for a free initial consultation on your film or writing project.

    Categories

    All
    Appeals
    Burden Of Proof
    Celebrity Crime
    Common Questions
    Constitution
    Consulting Services
    Courtroom
    Crime In The News
    Crime Novels
    Crime Tv
    Death Penalty
    Defenses
    Evidence
    Extortion
    Hate Crimes
    International Crime
    Juvenile Crime
    Legal Comedy
    Legal Definitions
    Legal Drama
    Manslaughter
    Movies
    Murder
    Search And Seizure
    Serial Killers
    Sex Crimes
    Supreme Court
    Trial
    True Crime
    Writing Tips

    RSS Feed

      Get Email Updates

    Join!
    Loading
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.