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Law Firm of Scott T. Moorey
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BBB Accredited business Click for ReviewFollowing the incident at a Florida high school in March when 17 people were wounded, and 17 others were killed, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act became law. Under this legislation, incidents in which people threaten schools with violence are regarded as second-degree felonies. When students make such threats, they could be charged with juvenile crimes.
Officers of the Broward County Sheriff's Office reported the arrest of a 17-year old teenager in Deerfield Beach in August. The Florida girl is accused of committing several juvenile crimes with the help of her 21-year-old boyfriend and the father of her 3-month-old baby, along with another 19-year-old man. While officers say they know of at least two victims of their alleged dating scam, they are looking for more victims.
Regardless of background or upbringing, teenagers in Florida could become involved in unsavory activities. Peer pressure could be powerful, and many young ones have faced charges of juvenile crimes because they were conned into the belief that stealing something like a Snickers bar is petty theft, which is as insignificant as it sounds. However, the consequences can be all but petty. Any type of theft is a crime that society considers as immoral or unacceptably dishonest, and as such, it can count against a suspect of petty theft in many ways -- including having to reveal this record in job applications in the future.
Facing criminal charges is harrowing, and the consequences of a conviction can be devastating. When the charges are for juvenile crimes, the impact could be even more severe. Fortunately, the Florida juvenile justice system is not punishment-oriented like the adult criminal justice system, but geared more toward rehabilitation.
With rising temperatures and the rapid approach of summer in Florida, juvenile mischief will likely be rampant. Sadly, in many cases, the mischief turns into more serious matters, and young people are arrested and accused of committing juvenile crimes. Many such arrests follow status offenses, which constitute acts that are only illegal if committed by minors.
Raising a child is undoubtedly one of the most challenging jobs there is. Parents typically correct their children's behavior constantly, hoping to have them grow up to be responsible and well-behaved teens and later adults. However, a certain level of mischief must be allowed, and the challenge is to prevent mischief from turning into crime. No parent in Florida would want to have to deal with accusations of juvenile crimes against his or her child.
Nobody wants a criminal record, even if it is just a disorderly conduct charge. Florida teenagers can get up to mischief, and before they know it, they might be accused of something like public annoyance. While it might seem insignificant at the time, any charges for juvenile crimes can have severe consequences that might include fines, detention and more.
It must be a shock for any Florida parents to be told that their child was arrested. Regardless of which juvenile crimes are alleged, parents would naturally want to speak to police as soon as possible to resolve the issue before it goes any further. However, this is a sensitive time during which care must be taken with what is said or done, and legal counsel might be the appropriate person to be present during any questioning and also to protect the child's rights during interviews.
Many students in Florida have likely made plans for spring break. This is the time when they can do whatever they want, and at this age, with all the newly found freedom, partying might be high on the list. However, rules and laws during spring break are as strict as any other time, and disregarding restrictions might lead to juvenile crimes charges with devastating consequences.
The prevalence of cyberbullying was underscored by a criminology professor at a Florida university following the arrest of two teenagers. They face charges for such juvenile crimes after the suicide of a 12-year-old girl in early January. The professor, who is also a director at a research center for cyberbullying, says about one-third of children nationwide are victimized in this way. Furthermore, approximately 12 percent admit to having bullied others online.