A common perception among many parents is that if their teenager is accused of a crime, they will automatically be processed through the juvenile justice system. This is often true; California has already passed legislation that disallows the prosecution of teenagers between 14 and 15 years of age as adults.
That said, parents should be aware that the legal landscape is nuanced, and the same leniency may not be shown to older teenagers between 16 and 17 years. In certain circumstances, teenagers may be prosecuted as adults for a mistake they made as juveniles or a mistake made by law enforcement officers.
Juvenile justice system
The Golden State’s juvenile justice system recognizes that, since adolescent brains are still developing, they may not fully comprehend the consequences of their often experimental actions. Therefore, juvenile court is, more often than not, focused on rehabilitating juvenile offenders rather than punishing them. Common interventions that juvenile court uses to guide and correct teenage offenders can include:
- Educational programs
- Community service
- Counseling
These interventions aim to help delinquent teenagers successfully reintegrate into society. That said, it’s worth noting that juvenile offenses are treated individually. Suppose a teenager commits a serious or violent crime like murder, which is categorized as a felony; they may be prosecuted as an adult. Some factors that might lead to a teenager being prosecuted as an adult include:
- The severity of the crime they’ve allegedly committed
- The teenager’s age
- The teenager’s criminal history
- Juvenile court’s perception of whether the teenager can be rehabilitated
The greatest challenge parents whose teenagers’ cases are tried in adult court is likely witnessing their teen being treated as an adult. The stakes are higher in adult court because of how severe the potential consequences of offenses can be. Despite being teenagers, juvenile offenders who get convicted in adult court may be placed in adult correctional facilities.
Unlike the juvenile system, which focuses on rehabilitation, the adult court system emphasizes punishment to curb repeat offenses. Furthermore, teenage offenders who get convicted in adult court end up with a permanent criminal record, which can impact their future in more ways than one. They may struggle to get college sponsorship or secure employment.
While the juvenile system’s primary focus is reform, it acknowledges that for certain teenage crimes, rehabilitation may not be sufficient. Parents whose teenagers’ cases are moved to adult court can benefit from trusted legal guidance during this difficult time.
