Juvenile Crime

Sometimes, children are treated like adults

juvenile crimes

Florida, like every other state, has two distinct legal systems in place when it comes to dealing with children as opposed to adults. However, criminal statistics, regardless of the age of those accused, are still disturbing. During 2004 and 2005, over 95,000 juveniles (those under the age of 18) were referred to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. During that same period, almost 9,000 children were sent to juvenile detention facilities.

If your child has been charged with a juvenile offense, you need to understand that this is a highly-technical area of law, and if the defendant is close to the age of 18, the first battle may be to keep this issue out of adult court, where the penalties can be more severe. The state attorney’s office has the discretion to direct file some crimes committed by juveniles directly to the adult Court system. That is why you need to contact the firm of Siegel Siegel & Wright; the attorneys at the firm are experienced in handling these types of cases, and in many cases we can offer affordable payment plans and 24-hour-per-day availability.

Waiting to call an attorney is a very bad idea…

Regardless of the charge, the worst thing you or your child can do is nothing at all. Criminal charges do not “fix themselves.”  Much like with adult criminal court, the legal situation regarding any charges will only get worse if you do not act now to secure the proper legal representation. The attorneys at Siegel Siegel & Wright will understand your situation, explain your options to you , answer your calls any time of day and work with you to manage legal expenses. What’s most important right now is that you protect your rights – contact Siegel Siegel & Wright today for a free consultation.

Florida Juvenile Justice

Many of the offenses for which children and young adults are charged are very similar to adult crimes, ranging from traffic misdemeanors or possession of drugs to violent felonies. One of the many differences between juvenile justice and the adult system is that the juvenile crime is called an act of delinquency and requires juvenile court intervention. The following juvenile crimes are  typical in Florida:

• Assault and Battery
• Drug Use / Possession
• Drug Trafficking
• Use of Fake/False Identification
• Gang-related Activities
• Sexual Misconduct
• Theft
• Vandalism
• Traffic violations
• Trespassing
• Homicide