One of the milestones nearly all American teenagers look forward to is the day they can get their driver’s license. While it means extra freedom, teens and driving have always been a dangerous combination. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. About a quarter of those fatal accidents involve an underage driver who was drinking. In 2016, 39 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes involving alcohol were young drivers age 16 to 24. Because of this, in addition to minimum drinking age laws, many states have enacted zero-tolerance laws for underage drinking and driving.

When an adolescent under the age of 18 is accused of a criminal offense, he or she is typically tried as a juvenile. This means his or her case is handled by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ). However, there are cases in which minors are tried as adults. Sometimes, this is because the charge is one of the offenses that require the defendant to be tried as an adult: first degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or aggravated battery with a firearm. In other cases, this is because the court has determined that it is appropriate to charge him or her as an adult.

As the parent of a minor facing a criminal charge, you must be proactive about developing an effective legal defense strategy with the help of an experienced juvenile criminal defense lawyer. Do not put it on your child to find their own lawyer or navigate the criminal defense system on their own – you might not agree with your child’s actions, but failing to help them now will have a long-lasting, negative impact on their life. Protect your child by being their top advocate.

The Differences Between the Juvenile and Adult Justice Systems

The juvenile justice system’s primary focus is rehabilitating young offenders. Because of this, juvenile courts have much more leeway than adult courts to determine appropriate dispositions for minors adjudicated delinquent. Dispositions can include incarceration, substance addiction treatment, psychological counseling, placement with another legal guardian, and anger management courses.

Vandalism is the intentional destruction of another party’s property. It can include smashing items, intentionally destroying property with fire or explosives, drawing graffiti on another party’s property and shooting others’ property with a firearm.

Adolescents who are accused of vandalism can face criminal charges. When your child is charged with vandalism, his or her case is handled by the Illinois Department for Juvenile Justice (IDJJ). Work with an experienced juvenile defense lawyer to ensure that his or her rights are protected and his or her interests are promoted at every stage of the case’s progress.

Understand the Charge

Although we have civil rights and anti-discrimination laws in place to protect us from being treated unfairly based on our race, sex, religion, and other innate characteristics, the reality is that there is a disparity between the arrest rate, conviction rate, and sentences white Americans and minorities face for the same criminal offenses. This is true for juvenile offenders as well as adult offenders.

Regardless of your child’s race, it is critical that you hire an experienced juvenile defense lawyer to represent him or her in court as soon as you can after your child is arrested. The sooner you begin working with a lawyer, the greater the likelihood that your child’s case will result in him or her avoiding an unfair punishment and if necessary, receiving the help he or she needs.

Statistics on Racial Differences in Youth Arrests, Adjudications, and Dispositions

As a parent, your instinct is to protect your child at all times. When he or she is arrested or being held in custody, it can be natural for you to want to be with him or her and even feel it is your right to be present during any interactions your child has with law enforcement. The truth is this: although officers are required to make a reasonable attempt to locate a parent or legal guardian of a child in custody after the child is arrested, the parent or legal guardian does not have to be present when the child is being questioned. In fact, the child’s parent or guardian does not even have to provide consent for the child to be questioned, nor does a juvenile defense lawyer have to be present during a child’s questioning.

Custody, Questioning, and Release of Juveniles

The only circumstance under which a lawyer must be present during a juvenile’s questioning is when the juvenile is 13 or younger and he or she is in custody for an alleged sexual assault or homicide.