I thought I should write about how the Department of Juvenile Justice has changed the way juvenile crimes are prosecuted in the past year.
Last year an appellate case came out, basically transferring the power to sentence juveniles from the Court and judges, to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Here's how it used to work: When a child was accused of a crime, he was arrested and the judges had the discretion to hold the child in a juvenile facility pending court, or to release the child.
Now, when a child is arrested, DJJ makes a reccomendation, based upon their procedural guidleines - DJJ now has the power to decided who gets released and who stays.
Additionally, when a child is convicted of a crime - DJJ now has the power to say what the sentence should be, not the judge and not the prosecutor.
When a child is arrested, the parent and child meet with a probation officer from DJJ, BEFORE ANY CHARGES ARE FILED, for an assessment. If a parent appears to have control over his or her child, the child's grades and school behavior are good - DJJ will often reccomend a non-judicial sanction.
However, if a parent tells the probation officer that their child is out of control, DJJ's reccomendation is often significantly more harsh.
If your child has been arrested - call me. your initial consultation is free.
