Category Archives: Juvenile Charges
One Florida City Reinstates Juvenile Curfew
Children in New Smyrna Beach, Florida are subject to immediate arrest if they’re out after 11 p.m. on school nights or midnight on weekends. Proponents argue curfews curb crime and protect youth by keeping them off the streets. “If you limit the opportunity for youth to be out at 11 o’clock, 12 o’clock, one… Read More »
Resolving Juvenile Crimes In Hillsborough County
The direct consequences of a juvenile conviction, such as possible removal from the family home, are bad enough. The collateral consequences, such as drivers’ license suspension and school expulsion, could be even worse. Fortunately for these defendants, the political environment has changed significantly since the 1990s. A lower arrest rate means if a case… Read More »
What Are The Consequences Of Joining A Gang In Florida?
Street gangs began in the early 1900s. Then as now, many people joined what they believed were social organizations. These individuals often don’t know, until it is too late, the entire extent of that organization’s activities. Until recently, gangs mostly committed petty crimes and property crimes. Recently, violent gang activity has increased, in areas… Read More »
What Are The Three Types Of Plea Bargains In Juvenile Cases?
In the Founding Fathers era, and for many years thereafter, jury trials resolved almost all criminal cases in the United States. Bench trials, in which a judge serves as both factfinder and legal referee, were rare, and plea bargains were almost unheard of. Things started changing in the late 1800s. The country was growing… Read More »
Keeping Juvenile Crimes Off Your Permanent Record
Kids make poor decisions, not because they are rebellious, but because they don’t understand risk-reward. That’s why little children chase balls into busy streets. They don’t understand that the risk of being hit by a car far outweighs the reward of getting the ball. That’s also why older children get in trouble with friends…. Read More »
Juvenile Vandalism Cases In Florida: A Closer Look
During coronavirus lockdowns, many police departments stopped responding to non-violent disturbance calls, like reports of vandalism. Now that these restrictions have ended, at least for the most part, many departments are going back to the controversial broken windows law enforcement theory. This theory began gaining popularity in the early 1980s. Proponents insist that low-level… Read More »
How Do Juvenile Cases Usually End In Florida?
High-profile criminal cases, as well as the fictional ones in movies and TV shows, almost always go to trial. But in the real life, everyday world, over 95 percent of criminal cases settle out of court. These plea-bargained resolutions are a bit different in juvenile court cases. As outlined below, although the same penal… Read More »
Top Five Juvenile Offenses
Many parents have been lulled into a false sense of security by the overall decline in juvenile arrests since the 1990s. When it comes to the most common juvenile crimes, authorities are still very aggressive. Some parents are blindsided when their children are arrested. They know a juvenile conviction is a serious matter, but… Read More »
Juvenile Sentencing Pros And Cons
A juvenile court judge hears basically the same cases as an adult criminal judge. The resolutions are also mostly the same. About 95 percent of criminal cases, in adult and juvenile court, settle out of court. But juvenile court and adult court sentencing philosophies are different. In adult court, it’s basically all about punishment…. Read More »
Keeping Juveniles Home And Out Of The System
Overall, juvenile crime arrests in the Sunshine State have dropped sharply since the 1990s. This decline is not necessarily food news all the way around. For example, this decrease has given families a false sense of security. So, they may not supervise their children as closely, reasoning that they will probably not get in… Read More »
