Anytime your son or daughter faces criminal charges, which brings the risks of incarceration, it would be best to consider retaining an experienced New Jersey attorney.
Usually, there is no mandatory minimum length of incarceration for juveniles. So the incarceration imposition mainly depends on specific situations and the expertise of a defense lawyer.
If your daughter or son was charged with a very serious juvenile criminal case in New Jersey, a juvenile defense attorney would be able to help.
Who Are Considered Juveniles in New Jersey?
Everyone in New Jersey who are under 18 years is regarded as a juvenile. Normally, juvenile criminal defense cases are outlined in a sector of the state’s statutes, which is different from where you get regular adult criminal cases.
Cases linked to juveniles are also governed by the State’s Code of Juvenile Justice. This body usually describes the following:
- What courts have jurisdiction over cases
- How the courts may punish/treat them
- What charges should juveniles face
Filing Delinquency Complaints
Police offers may charge formal complaints against underage individuals with juvenile delinquency following the New Jersey Rule 5:20-1. But it doesn’t necessarily need to be police officers to file delinquency complaints. It may also be filed by school officials, probation officers, or private citizens.
After filing delinquency complaints, the case will then be sent to the Family Court. While there, recommendations will be made as to whether charges need to be placed, diverted, or dismissed on schedule for the family court to take legal action.
Crimes Linked to Juvenile Cases
Like adults, minors can also be tried for different kinds of felonies. Some of the felonies linked to juvenile cases are not limited to the following:
- Abductions
- Carjacking
- Theft
- Criminal homicide
- Aggravated arson
- Conspiracy or attempt to do any of the above crimes
Juvenile Sentencing
A juvenile offense is mostly heard in the Family Court or Family Division of the NJ Superior Court. Cases are usually conducted according to the rules designed for the adjudication of juveniles.
The main goal of this system is to rehabilitate and help children instead of punishing them. NJ’s Juvenile Codes offer judges a range of sentences or depositions when offenders are judged to be delinquents.
These decisions are usually made by a judge in the Family Court, and a committee called a mobile classification team. Once juveniles are sentenced, they will be assigned specific treatment and custody-level programs, depending on the child’s service needs and requirements.
Defending Juvenile Cases
In order to effectively defend a juvenile case in New Jersey, you will need to enlist the services of a knowledgeable and experienced juvenile defense lawyer who may take the right steps throughout the case.
Pleading guilty to juvenile cases might not always be the right thing to do. But a prosecutor can allow plea deals for the case, especially when it is the first criminal offense.
Concluding Thoughts!
If your son or daughter is facing serious juvenile criminal charges in New Jersey, it would be best to enlist the services of a qualified attorney. Even if your child is guilty as charged, consider hiring an attorney to ensure your son or daughter gets a shorter sentence.
