Many readers of our criminal defense blog posts in Southwest Florida and elsewhere across the state likely have children. And they were of course kids themselves once.
Which speaks to insight. Namely, it breeds a sharp understanding of parents that their children are far from presently being the fully evolved adults that they will one day become.
Put another way, with specific reference to teenage adolescents: If they were paintings, they would be far from fully sketched products. Indeed, they would be much closer to still-blank canvases.
That’s only logical, right? Juveniles are would-be adults who cannot obtain that status absent an expanded period of time required to develop mentally, emotionally and physically. They are works in progress when it comes to making judgments and taking actions that can materially impact their lives.
That is, they understandably act out sometimes impulsively and without due thought for the consequences. They are singularly susceptible to peer pressure. They can stray into potentially problematic territory without having an exit strategy in mind.
And that of course can get them into legal hot water, even in instances when they lacked criminal intent and didn’t even know that their actions were unlawful.
We underscore on our website at the established Fort Myers criminal defense Law Firm of Scott T. Moorey that juveniles frequently encounter all types of legal challenges. Many teens are charged with underage drinking. Drug possession is a common offense. So too are theft crimes involving infractions like breaking and entering and shoplifting. Sexting, traffic violations, fighting – all these behaviors and more are commonplace in matters involving juvenile-linked criminal charges.
Here’s a reality often tied to juvenile embroilment in the criminal justice system: Offenders and their parents often underestimate the consequences.
They shouldn’t. Authorities often come down hard on an alleged offender, pushing for an outcome that yields a permanent criminal record. That can lead to curtailed opportunities in the future.
Our deep legal team devises defense strategies that push back hard against that, emphasizing rehabilitation rather than narrowly focused punishment in much of our diligent client representation.
Children make mistakes linked to potentially dire legal consequences. When they do, their parents can turn to attorneys at a proven defense law firm for guidance and aggressive legal advocacy.