You don’t have to be an adult to commit a crime. Anyone between the ages of 10 and 17 is capable of committing and being charged with a crime. But the crimes committed by minors are not considered criminal charges except in the most extreme cases. Rather, they’re called juvenile crimes to differentiate between the actions of an uninformed minor and an adult who should know better.
The actions taken during these crimes are not different from your typical criminal charges. They only differ in that they’re committed by juveniles, someone who cannot be assumed to always know better. That being said, different age groups don’t commit the same crimes at the same rate. This means that the most common crimes being committed in Pennsylvania won’t quite align with the most common juvenile crimes being committed in the state.
The juvenile crime attorneys at Lermitte & Lubin, LLC can explain what crimes juveniles are most often found guilty of committing.
Juvenile Crime In Pennsylvania and the United States
Currently, juvenile offenders are being sent to adult courts and being charged less and less in
Pennsylvania. This is good because it shows that rehabilitation is trending upward while punishment is trending downward. When it comes to juveniles, who are children, this feels only like good news.
But this doesn’t mean that juvenile crime is close to being eliminated, nor will it ever be. Children make serious mistakes just like adults, but it’s not typically the same. If we are all aware of the crimes that are commonly committed by juveniles, we can better help them avoid doing so. If your child is charged with one of these crimes, you can at least get some reassurance and help from attorneys who have experience helping with juvenile criminal cases.
#1. Larceny
One of, if not the most common juvenile crime is larceny. Larceny is the theft of personal property. This definition is so vague that larceny is a collection of crimes rather than just one. Larceny is a crime with a wide spectrum of seriousness and culpability. Someone can steal a bag of candy or someone’s purse and they would both receive a type of larceny charge.
When most children can’t handle or maintain a job with their travel and time restraints, they can’t afford even the small things, so they may steal. They know it’s wrong, but considering they’re not adults, they don’t always know how wrong.
If they’re charged with a larceny crime, the type will heavily affect their potential punishment and whether or not the courts will want to charge them as adults.
#2. Illegal Purchases
There are many things that someone has to be a certain age to do or purchase. These are also things that many juveniles want to purchase for several different reasons, including social pressure, addiction, or mere enjoyment. This includes things like alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.
It’s illegal for juveniles to purchase these substances and for them to ask adults to purchase them on their behalf. Many of them also attempt to purchase these substances themselves with fake IDs which is also another crime common among juveniles.
#3. Assault
Children fight, and often with their fists. When they’re not adults, not fully formed, not as strong, and able to bounce back from injuries that grown adults may not be able to, the physical consequences are not as great. They don’t know how serious fighting can be.
So they fight, but they are still charged with a crime. The goal is to either defend them against the charge or help them get into rehabilitative programs rather than juvie or face hefty fines.
#4. Drug and Alcohol Use
Purchasing drugs and alcohol is a separate and common juvenile crime. Schools are a hotbed for drug sales in the United States, with almost
20% of students willing to admit that they have been sold or given an illegal drug by someone on school property.
Alcohol can be even easier to get with juveniles able to steal alcohol from their parents and bring it to other places to drink.
#5. Vandalism
Vandalism is the unauthorized and deliberate destruction of damage to another person or entity’s property. Graffiti is a common way that people vandalize buildings and other types of property.
If Your Child Has Been Charged With One of These Common Juvenile Crimes, Contact Lermitte & Lubin, LLC
Children are going to make mistakes and should suffer the consequences to learn a lesson, but this doesn’t have to be a criminal charge. There are other ways that children can learn right from wrong other than charging them for these common juvenile crimes.
But not all courts and judges see it that way. This means that you cannot skip out on having an experienced juvenile law attorney represent your children in a court of law.
The
criminal defense attorneys at Lermitte & Lubin, LLC have extensive experience in criminal defense, and we can defend your child from the charges they face.
Contact us today.
