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Crimes

Juvenile Defense: Everything You Need to Know


— November 28, 2022

Despite all available defenses, prevention is good. If you feel your teenager is troubled, take them for counseling.


Consider a hypothetical situation where the police have picked your teen under the Juvenile Court Charges of Minnesota. You are left confused and troubled when it is brought to your knowledge. You have no idea how you will protect the future of your child. So, what rights are you awarded? What can you do to safeguard the future of your child? Read further to contemplate the fundamental functioning of a Juvenile Crimes Attorney in St. Paul  and what defenses you can use in your child’s favor. 

Things to Know About Juvenile Defense

If your child has been accused of a crime, the consequences could be life-altering for him or her. You need to know what is going on so that you can help guide your loved one through this difficult period and protect them from the worst possible outcomes.

Focus on Rehabilitation

Unlike adults, juveniles are considered the youth that has gone astray under some evil influence. The Court will always bend towards suggesting measures to help the concerned child lead a better life. The plan is to ensure public safety by regulating harmony, rationality, and law-abiding thinking in the troubled minds of the child.

Depending on the seriousness of the crime committed (determined by DRAI), the youth is either taken into the custody of Juvenile Detention Centers or sent back to their parents until trial.

Within the next 24 hours, the youth will be presented before the Court of law for trial based on the accusations made. The Court may further decide whether to send them to a JDC and on probation or send them back to their parents on the conditions of probation.

Since your child is not being punished, you must reduce the probation to the minimum and try not to get the trial off your child’s record.

Probation 

A lot of things usually constitute the conditions of probation. These are added to ensure that the youth spends time doing things that will make them more bent towards being lawful. These often include offering community service, guaranteeing maximum attendance at school, moral counseling, treatment from any habit of consuming intoxicants, restoration of damage done to victims, being in good company, letters seeking an apology from victims, restricted movement, and denied access to motor vehicles.

The Right to General Defenses

Lawyer preparing a file; image by advogadoaguilar, via Pixabay.com.
Lawyer preparing a file; image by advogadoaguilar, via Pixabay.com.

The law awards everyone the right to general defenses, and juveniles are no exception. Both adults and juveniles are expected to be presented before the Court of law for trial within 24 hours of their custody. A sudden and grave provocation, the influence of involuntary intoxication, within the boundaries of self-defense, etcetera. If the accused in concern is below the age of 7, they cannot be held responsible for any criminal wrong. Any criminal defense attorney St. Paul could do the needful here.

Hire a Juvenile Crimes Attorney

The state has attorneys who specialize in dealing with Juvenile law. Consulting a Juvenile Crimes Attorney or hiring one should relieve the worry to a great extent. Since they have experience defending children accused of breaking the law, they will likely help your child get away with minimum probation and no juvenile record. 

If the crime committed does not classify as a violent one, there is already a high chance that the Court will not put it on the juvenile record of the accused. 

Conclusion

Despite all available defenses, prevention is good. If you feel your teenager is troubled, take them for counseling. See that they do not have any recurrent thoughts that could land them in trouble and make you worry for them. Try to know if they have fallen into bad company or picked terrible habits. Please do not give them access to motor vehicles unless they have a legitimate driving license. Hold conversations with them regularly and ask them if they consume any intoxicants. If you take them to rehabilitation yourself, the law will not have to step in.

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