The Juvenile Legal System

The Juvenile Legal System

The Juvenile Legal System

Muslim youth, like all youth, sometimes get into trouble with the law. But the juvenile legal system, which handles the equivalent of criminal cases for minors, is little understood. Even though juvenile crime is falling by all objective measures, it is still important for parents and those who deal with children to understand the juvenile justice system.

The juvenile system investigates and tries crimes committed by those under 18. The juvenile justice system also houses children convicted of crimes, normally either in juvenile halls or "camp" settings. Though many think that juveniles can only be housed until the age of 18, they actually can be held until the age of 24.

Unlike the adult criminal system, the juvenile justice system does not have punishment as a goal, but instead seeks to rehabilitate youth offenders. Because the juvenile system does not seek to punish juvenile offenders, many think that youth are let off easy. But just because punishment is not a stated goal, it does not mean that juvenile hall is not difficult or traumatic. California's juvenile system is currently undergoing a complete overhaul following numerous violent incidents in the last few years. Additionally, those 14 and over who commit serious crimes can be tried as adults and sentenced to periods past their 24th birthday.

Another common misconception is that juvenile records are automatically destroyed after a youth's eighteenth birthday. In actuality, the juvenile records will appear on an adult's criminal records until their 38th birthday, unless you petition the juvenile court to seal the records. If this is done, the records will be sealed and inaccessible in almost every circumstance, until they are destroyed on the offender's 38th birthday.

There are many steps that parents can take to make sure that their children do not have a negative interaction with law enforcement. The first is to know where your children are and what they are doing. It is also important to know your children's friends, and the parents of their friends. Studies have shown that the more unstructured time that children have, the more likely they are to use drugs or get into trouble with the law, so see if there are any after-school programs which your children are interested in. Many are offered through schools, Masjids, or local community centers. If your child is already having problems behaving, many times a child psychologist or counselor can help, and sometimes their services are available at a low cost through community centers or county programs.

If your child is currently involved in the juvenile system, he or she is entitled to an attorney, just like an adult criminal defendant. The public defender's office in most counties will defend juvenile offenders free of charge, if you qualify based on income and potential punishment. Your child also has the right to be represented by the lawyer of your choosing.

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