Both the adult and Juvenile justice systems rely on the same laws in Florida. That is: a crime is a crime, regardless of how old a person is when it was committed. The difference is the sanctions imposed and the philosophy behind each justice system.
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Understand the process
After an arrest for a Juvenile Offense, your child will most likely go to the Juvenile Detention Center (Probation and Community Corrections Intake Services) where they will be assessed by Department of Juvenile Justice officials and can be detained until they see a Judge for a detention hearing / First Appearance which are held at 8AM seven days a week in Pinellas County.
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Know the potential outcomes
The Juvenile system focuses more on intervention, rehabilitation and prevention, while the focus of the adult system is punishment and prevention.
Department of Juvenile Justice officials may utilize one of three options to deal with a Juvenile offense:
a) Non Judicial Diversions: These programs vary by circuit but can include Juvenile arbitration programs where a contract is signed with the Department of Juvenile Justice to fulfill a set of conditions which if successfully completed results in no formal charges ever being filed in court.
b) Judicial Dispositions: In this case the Juvenile’s outcome is decided by a Judge in the Juvenile Division. Here punishments can include Court ordered diversion programs (programs vary by circuit such as the Walker Plan in Pinellas County); Probation (community supervision); or Residential Commitment (placement in a residential facility) or Conditional Release (community supervision / aftercare).
c) Detention Services
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Hire an experienced attorney to defend your child's rights
Hire a criminal defense attorney who has specific knowledge and experience in Juvenile crimes defense. Former State Attorneys are a particularly good choice as they have experience prosecuting a range of very serious Juvenile Offenses from investigation through trial and in most cases received special training on prosecuting Juvenile Offenses from the State of Florida. For a Juvenile defense lawyer this inside knowledge is of critical importance and can benefit the defense of your case.
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