It can be incredibly scary when law enforcement contacts you to tell you your child is in custody and accused of committing a crime. Your first instinct may be to get your child back home with you.
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice explains the juvenile system focuses on short-term detention only, so your child likely will not be behind bars too long.
After arrest retention
After his or her arrest, your child may stay in custody for up to 24 hours. However, within that time, he or she must go before a judge. The judge can release him or her or continue to hold your child in a detention center. There is a limit to how long the judge may hold your child for 21 days.
Release
If the judge decides to release your child, it may be under the home detention program. This allows your child to stay in your home while awaiting his or her next court date.
Before his or her first court date, your child will undergo screening to see if home detention is a good option. The judge will receive the screening results.
It is essential you can provide your child with a secure and safe with proper supervision to meet the requirements of the program. You and your child will have to sign an agreement to be part of the program. Any violations could mean additional charges against your child and also cause legal ramifications for you. Plus, your child will go back into a detention facility.
In general, the court will want to get your child back home with you if at all possible because the system is not focusing on detaining minors.
