JUVENILE OFFENSES
Is Your Child Facing Charges For A Juvenile Offense?
If your minor son or daughter is facing charges for a juvenile crime, our attorneys at The Crosland Law Group, LLC can help. We have the experience needed in assisting clients, including juveniles, in defending themselves against a wide range of criminal and traffic charges, whether for alleged misdemeanors or felonies or infractions.
Arrests & Citations For Juvenile Crimes Are Common
Although every parent goes through years of worry and stress regarding their children’s behavior as they grow up, there is probably nothing more troubling than to have a minor child arrested or cited for a crime or traffic violation. In addition to anger and shame, there is also the very real fear that your child’s once-hopeful future will be shattered as a result of an actual or alleged legal transgression.
There are many juvenile arrests in Connecticut each year, and every one of them must run through the state’s juvenile justice system. A significant portion of these arrests are for felonies, and a portion of that was for violent felonies. However, most of all juvenile arrests were for misdemeanors, and most of those were for status offenses, such as truancy, running away, and violating curfew laws. Other common charges juvenile offenders face include:
| Possession of alcohol or drugs | Underage drinking, including DUI |
| Theft, such as auto theft and shoplifting | Assault (usually from fights) |
| Sexual assault, including date rape | Vandalism, including graffiti |
| Weapons possession | |
| Minor traffic violations, including speeding, red light violations, provisional license violations, driving unlicensed, etc | |
Although many juvenile cases are quickly resolved, this is not always the case, particularly if the youth exhibits poor judgment when arrested or cited. Consequently, if your minor son or daughter is facing juvenile criminal or traffic charges, it is critical to obtain an experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney to assist and advise you and your child as soon as possible. Although there are many similarities between the adult system and the juvenile system, there are important distinctions, and you do not want to work with an attorney who lacks experience working with young clients within the juvenile justice system.
At our firm, we know that the last thing you want is for a youthful error to foreclose your child’s opportunity for a productive and promising future. As you deal with the stress and anguish of your family’s predicament, talk to someone who can give you the information you need to make rational and wise decisions about the steps you should take.
For a confidential consultation about Juvenile Offense charges, contact The Crosland Law Group, LLC at
(203) 921-1782.
Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
The juvenile justice system process can seem very complex because of the vast number of agencies that may be involved, including schools, social service agencies, community-based organizations, and county probation offices. However, despite this complexity, the fact is that many charges are often resolved at a relatively early stage in the process, particularly if they do not involve violent offenses, or if the accused has no prior criminal history.
If the case proceeds through the system, depending upon the nature of the charge and the background of the accused, a juvenile may face a variety of dispositions, not all of which have serious long-term repercussions. These may include:
| Informal probation | Formal probation |
| Treatment programs | Detention |
| License suspension | Community supervision |
| Community service | Community ranches or camps or |
| In serious cases, incarceration |
Because the stated goal of the juvenile justice system is primarily intervention—that is, to use the process to steer youth away from future criminal behavior—only an extremely small number of juveniles arrestee will end up incarcerated in a state facility. This means that, unless the youth is a “hard case,” the system will likely steer him or her toward a social services agency or probation agency rather than the Division of Juvenile Justice and, when appropriate, will involve parents directly in the process.
