Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
St. Johns County police have arrested four teens in a rash of recent thefts from unlocked cars that have become prevalent over the past several months. A family member of one of the suspects tipped police to the location of some of the stolen property, and police are still investigating whom all of it belongs to, according to a report on News4Jax. Two suspects are likely facing more severe penalties than the other two — and this has nothing at all to do with their involvement in the cases versus the other suspects.
It is based solely on age.
Two of the suspects are 17 and will most likely have their cases heard in juvenile court, whereas the other two suspects – at 18 and 19 – would appear in traditional, adult court. In St. Johns County Juvenile Crimes Cases, penalties are often far less severe with an eye toward punishment, but also making sure a youthful mistake does not end up being something that stays with the defendant his or her entire life. Juvenile defendants can be arrested and incarcerated just like adults, but the difference is they are taken to a special youth jail. In St. Johns County Juvenile Crimes cases like this, it would be more common to see the teens put on some sort of probation or monitoring system as opposed to sending them away to any type of prison. Another difference for the 17-year-old defendants in this St. Johns County Juvenile Crimes Case is the role of the parents in the resolution of the case. Parent play a major role in juvenile crimes cases and are required to be in court. They are ultimately the ones responsible for any restitution the defendant must pay back in theft cases such as this, and must also pay for any costs to monitor the child, such as probation.
While a person’s criminal record plays a major role in all criminal cases, it is especially critical in St. Johns County Juvenile Crimes Cases. Judges and prosecutors are far more likely to forgive a transgression of youth and allow a teen to be punished just enough to learn from his or her mistake. But when the same teens continue to end up in court, the powers that be have less incentive to be lenient and are led to believe the message is not getting through. And even though a St. Johns County Juvenile Crime may not sound that serious, it is imperative that it is handled properly to make sure the blemish doesn’t continue to haunt your loved one as her or she gets older and enters the workforce. Our St. Johns County Juvenile Crimes Attorney has represented hundreds of juvenile clients and can help your loved one get a mistake behind them and move on to a productive life.
If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our St. Johns County Juvenile Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.