| Can juvenile records be erased?
Most state and federal statutes provide that a juvenile criminal record can be erased when the child reaches a certain age, and in some states this is mandatory.
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| Can your child be treated as an adult?
Generally speaking, juveniles are tried in juvenile court by a judge. In cases of serious crimes, including murder, rape, drug dealing, carjacking, kidnapping, and some gang-related offenses, a child can be tried as an adult.
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| Does a child need an attorney?
If a child is brought before a juvenile court, he or she has all the basic civil rights of an adult, with the exception of the right to a trial by jury.
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| Does a juvenile record affect your child's future?
A juvenile record does not have to affect your child's future. Most state and federal statutes provide that juvenile records may be erased once the child reaches a certain age.
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| If your child is arrested
If your child is arrested, the police are obliged to contact you immediately. A child has the same civil rights as an adult, including the right to an attorney, and you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.
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| Juvenile criminal process
The juvenile criminal process is similar to the process for adults with some notable exceptions. A juvenile has all the civil rights of an adult except the right to a trial by jury.
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| Juveniles' rights during questioning
Juveniles have the same rights as adults, with one important exception: they do not have the right to a trial by jury. Instead juvenile cases are heard in juvenile or family court by a single judge.
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| Youthful-offender sentencing
Strictly speaking, youthful-offender sentencing is not part of the juvenile criminal process. While the details of youth offender programs differ among the states, generally, if a young person is tried as an adult for a crime committed while still a minor, he or she may be eligible to be sentenced as a youthful offender.
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