A juvenile offender is someone under the age of 18 who commits and specific act forbidden by Virginia law. The juvenile justice system in Shenandoah Virginia is the part of the larger justice system for people under the age of 18. It has its own laws and procedures about how juveniles should be treated. When a juvenile violates a criminal law, the penalties are usually very different from those if a grownup broke the same law. Occasionally the Juvenile Court procedure is more kind than the adult court, but sometimes it can be tougher. Though, the supervision of juvenile justice pursues to rehabilitate minors who might be capable of changing their actions for the better. If your child is facing criminal charges, though, he or she might be sentenced of a felony charges in Shenandoah. Virginia depending on the conditions.
The court must reflect certain aspects in determining whether the juvenile will be committed. These contain the juvenile’s age; the number of crimes and their significance; and whether the crime was committed aggressively or in a planned or intentional way. The court must also reflect whether the crime was against persons or possessions; whether the crime included the use of a weapon or other dangerous armament; and what part the juvenile played in the crime. The juvenile’s earlier record irrespective of jurisdiction will be observed.
Once a Felon, Always a Felon.” That’s the motto that best sums up the Commonwealth of Virginia’s disastrous attitude towards juveniles who make a few blunders during the growing up process these days. According to Virginia Code § 16.1-305, “Confidentiality of Court Records”, subsection B1, “If a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense is adjudicated delinquent on the basis of an act which would be a felony if committed by an adult, all court records [with the exception of social history, mental health records, and such] shall be open to the public.
In Shenandoah Virginia, any juvenile felony charges will remain on a person’s criminal record for the rest of their life. Juvenile misdemeanor sentences will finally dropped from criminal records, but not until a juvenile turns 19 years old or five years after the offense is committed, whichever is later.
If the felony was committed by a juvenile who was 14 or older, he or she is permanently forbidden from having a firearm, and is subject to trial for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
It is vitally important, if your child is charged with a criminal offense, to secure a capable criminal defense attorney who is experienced about the special difficulties involved with juvenile procedures. An expert attorney’s knowledge of the unique ways that relate to juvenile court can prevent a young person’s mistake from staying with them for a lifetime