Category Archives: Juvenile Law
Seventh Grade Girls’ Prank Leads to Their Arrest and Possible Conviction to First Degree Felonies
Being young in our society is no longer an excuse for bad behavior, especially when it leads to criminal behavior. In the past, there seemed to be more tolerance for children just acting like children. However, these days, though children have not become more mature than their past counterparts, they are taking on more… Read More »
Predictive Analytics Tool May Be Useful to Identifying At-Risk Youth and Limiting Prison Overpopulation
Florida juveniles have been the center of Florida’s overhaul to its criminal justice system in the last couple of years. More and more programs have been put into place not only to help youth that are in situations that predispose them to commit crimes, but also for the long-term benefit of limiting overcrowding in… Read More »
Reduction in Juvenile Arrests Due to Diversion Programs Promoted by the State
Being a criminal defendant in the Florida criminal system can be very confusing and difficult. Many are unfamiliar with the charges being brought against them and even fewer are really aware of the possible conviction consequences that may be applied to them for past indiscretions. Sadly, being a juvenile in the Florida criminal justice… Read More »
Children and Crime: How Florida Deals with Juveniles
When we think about felonies and crimes, our image of the perpetrator is rarely a child. However, in the news, there are several stories that have been currently receiving significant attention, largely because the child is the at the center of a horrific act. For example, in Alabama recently, an eight-year-old was charged in… Read More »
Solitary Confinement: The Damaging Psychological and Physical Effects on Juveniles in Adult Prisons
In state prisons, the understanding of the legal rights of inmates is extremely limited. The concept of prisons is that the inmates and prisoners who are held within their walls committed a crime against society, and as such, the consequences assigned to them is the loss of their liberty and other rights as a… Read More »
Florida: Leader in Most Number of Juveniles Charged As Adults in the United States
The fate of juveniles in the criminal justice system in Florida has been up in the air for ages; with an adult, there is a certain consistency in the way in which the criminal justice system deals with them. Juveniles and their cases, however, are unpredictable where the juvenile who is currently in the… Read More »
A Minor Mark Not So Minor: Changes to Juvenile Expunction Law
A recent bill was introduced in Florida’s legislature to attack the negative effects that a juvenile record may have on persons who committed nonviolent offenses as minors, but are now, as adults, attempting to apply to jobs, join the military, or receive loans for college tuition and other essentials. In Florida, the police records… Read More »
Juvenile Sentences are Redefined under Florida Supreme Court Ruling
A recent Florida Supreme Court ruling is seen as a victory for those juvenile inmates who are currently serving extensive sentences in prison. Under the new ruling made by the Florida Supreme Court, the sentencing guidelines for juveniles who were charged as adults will reflect the leniency that the criminal justice system is trying… Read More »
The Teenage Mind and Criminality: The Reasoning Behind Resentencing for Juveniles
The recent decision by the Florida Supreme Court to reevaluate the sentencing guidelines for juveniles charged as adults falls into line with the most recent research into the teenage brain. In the last few decades, with the advancement of technology and psychology, psychologists have been evaluating the brains of adults, teenagers, and children alike,… Read More »
Prosecutor’s Full Discretionary Power to Charge Juveniles as Adults Reviewed
The decision whether or not to try juveniles as adults has been in the hands of prosecutors since 1994. As a result of this “direct file” law, Florida prosecutors are given full discretion to determine which juveniles will be tried as adults, without judicial review or supervision. Between 2012 and 2013, more than 98… Read More »