JUVENILE ACTIONS

When a minor has to go to juvenile court, it can be hard on any parents. It can be particularly difficult when those parents are no longer married. Parents are in one of the best positions to advocate for their children during a juvenile crimes case. A lawyer can step in and help those parents work together — even when they are no longer married — for the benefit of their child.

THE JUVENILE COURT PROCESS

For many parents, the thought of their child committing a crime can be an awful one to consider. If you find yourself preparing to accompany your child to juvenile court, it’s important to be prepared for the steps that will most likely follow. According to the National Juvenile Justice Network, the process in Ohio may include the following steps. 

• Intake is the first step in juvenile court proceedings. It can take place at a juvenile court or a detention facility. When a complaint is filed, it is then the responsibility of the court to issue a summons for the child to appear in court.

• Detention may occur depending on the severity of the crime and the ruling of the judge. If your child is detained, they will most likely be held at a county-run juvenile detention facility.

• Arraignment will either occur while the child is in detention or in court (if they were not detained). This is the opportunity for the child to make a plea or a plea bargain in response to the charges.

• Pretrial may or may not occur, but its purpose is to consider alternative resolution methods.

• An adjudicatory hearing is very similar to a trial. After your child either admits to or denies the charge, the judge will determine whether the child is guilty or not guilty. 

Within seven days of the trial, the judge will provide a written decision regarding the next steps for your child. Common sentences may involve probation or transfer to adult court.

FACTS AND STATISTICS ABOUT JUVENILE CRIMES

In 2013, there were approximately 17,851 juvenile crimes committed in the state of Ohio. The state’s Office of Criminal Justice Services released a report that placed these crimes into three different categories: Part I crimes, part II crimes, and drug crimes:

• Part I crimes accounted for 4,091 of the total juvenile crimes. Crimes included in this category were: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

• Part II crimes accounted for 12,330 of the total juvenile crimes. Part II crimes included: forgery and counterfeiting, fraud, embezzlement, stolen property, vandalism, weapons carrying/possession, prostitution and commercialized vice, sex offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution), gambling, offenses against family and children, driving under the influence, violating liquor laws, drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and more.

• Drug crimes accounted for 1,430 of the total juvenile crimes. These drug crimes included the sale/manufacturing or possession of drugs such as opium/cocaine and all derivatives, marijuana, synthetic narcotics, and other dangerous non-narcotics.

No matter what crime your child may have committed, you know better than anyone that they deserve a second chance. Finding a lawyer who will fight for that second chance can make all the difference in your child’s life.