Juvenile Offenders in Ohio
One common fear for parents of juvenile offenders in Ohio is the lasting impact a conviction will have on your child. There are certain offenses that will give your child a lifetime criminal record, but many convictions can be sealed or expunged on your child’s 23rd birthday. If your child has been arrested or charged with a crime, contact Columbus, OH criminal attorneyPeter J. Binning right now for a free, confidential case review.
If your child is arrested or charged with a crime he is entitled to be represented by a Columbus juvenile defense attorney. Children are afforded certain protections under the U.S. Constitution that does not always apply to adult suspects. Never allow your child to talk to authorities without being represented by Columbus juvenile defense attorney Peter J. Binning.
Regardless of how mature a child is for their age, courts recognize that children need special protections when they face criminal charges. That is one of the reasons that prosecutors must ask permission to charge children as adults. It is also why they need to have a skilledColumbus criminal defense lawyerrepresent them from the first minute they are under investigation. Peter J. Binning will explain to them in a way they can understand the nature of the charges against them, and map out a defense strategy that is most likely to help them achieve their long term goals.
There are several categories of juvenile offenders in Ohio. The punishment they face may vary depending on how their alleged crime is categorized by Ohio laws.
A delinquent child allegation can be made by anyone who has knowledge that a child may be delinquent. Law enforcement may then take the child into custody and release him to a parent or custodian, or detain him in a youth detention center. Law enforcement must make a release or longer detention decision about the allegedly delinquent child within three or six hours depending on their alleged offense.
If the child is to be detained for longer than the three or six hour period an adjudicatory hearing must be scheduled within 72 hours. The juvenile judge will evaluate whether the child’s alleged criminal act would be a criminal act if committed by an adult. If the judge determines the act would be a crime if committed by an adult then the child may be detained at a juvenile detention center, or released to a parent or guardian. The child does not have the right to trial by jury if the case stays in juvenile court. They are permitted, however, to be represented by an attorney.
An Unruly Child is a child who is habitually truant, does not submit to the control of their parent or guardian, acts in a manner that will injure them or the health of another, or violates any law.
A Serious Youthful Offender status is reserved for children of a certain age who commit certain criminal acts. The serious youthful offender category is quite complicated, so is not set out in full here. If your child is being charged as a serious youthful offender you need to contactColumbus juvenile offender attorney Peter J. Binning immediately so he can begin working of the facts of your child’s case and devise the best strategy for defending your child.
The range of punishment for juvenile offenders varies from providing community service to being charged as an adult and imprisoned. Before any decision is made on how to proceed with your child’s case Peter will make sure your child – and you when legally allowable – understands the nature of the charges against your child, and the range of punishment.
If your child is charged as a juvenile offender in Ohio contact Columbus criminal attorneyPeter J. Binning right now for a free, confidential case evaluation. Because of the complexity of the juvenile justice system and the differences between adult and juvenile criminal charges he will ask you for facts and circumstances to help you better understand the law, and the range of punishment your child faces. Contact him today!