Criminal Defense Lawyer for Juveniles

Getting arrested is a good way to seriously damage future job prospects. Even one charge can make a person unattractive to potential employers. In today's difficult job market it is hard enough to find gainful employment without having to explain a blemish on one's record. This is particularly the case for juvenile offenders. Poor behavior can lead to them being unable to get into college, in addition to having a hard time finding a job. That is why if your teen is in trouble you should save the tongue-lashing and discipline for after you call a criminal defense lawyer. You don't want to call just anyone, however. It is important that you hire someone who is knowledgeable about cases involving young people and the juvenile court system.

Gone are the days where poor behavior or delinquency resulted in a slap on the wrist and perhaps suspension, or in extreme cases, expulsion form school. Today the penalties are stiffer and the jail time is real for kids who break the law. No longer does a schoolyard tussle get chalked up to hormones and flaring tempers. It becomes assault and battery. Experimentation with drugs is irrationally labeled trafficking or possession, and people under the age of eighteen are getting charged with felonies. Did you know that any student who is charged with a drug crime is ineligible for federal college assistance? These youthful antics are more and more often resulting in life changing, and sometimes devastating, consequences. If any of these accusations come against your child it is imperative to call a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.

The penalties are just as severe as the crimes that children are being accused of. It is possible that for painting graffiti a person may face thousands of dollars in fines and hundreds of hours of community service. If this is not their first offense they may face time in a juvenile detention center. Make no mistake; juvenile detention is very much jail for kids. There is nothing different in the culture or the people, other than that they have not reached the age of majority. While the penalties against one's son or daughter can be stiff, they need not end there. As a parent you are responsible for the behavior of your kids. That makes one legally culpable for the crimes they have committed. Be sure to talk to the criminal defense lawyer about minimizing the penalties that may be brought against you as the guardian. They may take the child away or demand home visits frequently to determine how fit the household is for the young person.

Regardless of the charge and the potential penalty, the first call after the police tell you that your son or daughter has been arrested should be to a criminal defense lawyer. These youthful transgressions often have real long-term consequences, and having a legal professional who knows the best course of action is the best way to minimize the fallout.