You may think your child is out playing with friends, then you get a call from the police. Instead of a park or playground, your child has been arrested for committing a juvenile crime and is in jail. What do you do now?
Child Arrest for Juvenile Crime
The difference between juvenile crime and other crimes is that the person doing the crime is under 18 years of age. If your child has been arrested for involvement in juvenile crime, it means they’ve been accused of involvement in a crime.
If your child is arrested, the police may do the following:
- Record the arrest then release your child to return home.
- Send your child to an agency who will then care and counsel them and provide shelter.
- Take your child to the police station, called “cited back.”
- Issue a “Notice to Appear” in court for both you and your child.
- Send your child to detention (i.e., juvenile hall). This will allow your child to make two phone calls once they’ve been arrested. One call is required to be to a parent, relative, or boss. The other must be a lawyer. These calls must be made within the first hour of being arrested.
- A police officer must read your child their “Miranda rights” and counsel them on their legal rights. These include:
- Their right to remain silent.
- Anything they say can and will be used against them in court.
- The right to an attorney. If they can’t afford one, then one will be appointed by the court.
Defense Attorney for Juvenile Crime
The police must notify you immediate if your child has been arrested, as well as tell you where your child has been taken, and what their rights are for the crime they’ve been arrested for. Depending on your child’s age, they must also inform you of the seriousness of the crime. If a previous record exists for your child, they may be put in a foster home, be sentenced to probation, or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may sentence them to juvenile hall.
You should immediately contact a juvenile crime attorney such as Sevens Legal Criminal Lawyers, if your child has been arrested and charged with committing a juvenile crime. Contact Sevens Legal Criminal Lawyers, today for a free consultation.
Criminal Defense Attorneys
3555 4th Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: (619) 297-2800