Your Child’s in Legal Trouble—Why You Need a Lawyer
When you find out your child has been arrested for shoplifting, drug possession, assault, or other crimes, it’s easy to panic and react with anger before anything else. The fact is that whatever your teenager has done, they need you now more than ever. Some parents wonder if it’s better to hire a juvenile defense lawyer to fight charges or let their child go through the juvenile justice process on their own to see what a life of crime leads to. Our team can help you navigate this challenging time.
At Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox, LLP, we have helped many juvenile offenders avoid juvenile detention and protect their futures. Teenagers aren’t known for their solid decision-making skills, and our goal is to help them avoid the consequences of a conviction so they can get back on track with your help. Call us at 909-894-0812 to set up a consultation now.
Won’t Letting Them Go Through the System Teach Them a Lesson?
Upon finding out that their child has been arrested, some parents’ first instinct is to let their child sit in juvenile detention and feel the full consequences of their bad choices. They may opt not to pay for legal representation and hope that the court scares their child straight.
This is a dangerous path that can lead your child to commit more serious crimes. A child arrested on criminal charges isn’t inherently bad; they are acting out, and finding out that their parents have not stepped in to help them can make them may convince them that they are “bad” and beyond saving. When a teenager gives up like this, they often turn to more dangerous and consequential crimes.
As difficult as it may be, we believe that this is a time to show your child tough love—but not too tough. While you shouldn’t ignore what they’ve done and give them a free pass, it’s important to help them fight their charges with a juvenile defense law firm. Without proper legal assistance, the consequences of a stupid teenage choice could follow your child for the rest of their life.
Potential Consequences of a Conviction
The consequences of a juvenile conviction can be significant, severely hampering your child’s shot at a normal adult life. In some cases, juvenile records are automatically sealed; in others, a juvenile defense attorney can request that they be sealed. When a juvenile’s records are not automatically sealed, a criminal record may stop them from getting a job, getting accepted into college, starting their degree program of choice, getting approved for loans, or getting approved for an apartment. Starting out as an adult is hard enough. A criminal conviction puts your child several feet behind the starting line.
Life in Juvenile Detention
Letting your child go to juvenile detention instead of hiring a juvenile defense attorney to fight for their release can have a profoundly negative impact on their development. Yes, the goal of these facilities is to help troubled teens get the support and rehabilitative services they need. In reality, being in juvenile detention may mean that your child spends a significant amount of time with kids who have been arrested multiple times, committed serious crimes, and resigned themselves to a life of crime. Imagine that a child has shoplifted—a relatively minor offense. Because they did not get any legal support or representation from their family, they end up doing a short stint in juvenile detention. There, they spend time with teens who have turned to drug dealing and robberies to sustain extravagant lifestyles. Now, instead of seeing the error of their ways, they are lured to even more serious crimes by those in far worse situations than them.
Getting Your Child Back on Track
Rather than hoping that the court system will straighten out your child, turn to a juvenile defense law firm to help you advocate for their rights and fight for a fair outcome. Then you can help them get back on track by enforcing strict limits, getting them into counseling, and filling their time with more productive activities.
Protect Your Child’s Future—Call Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox
Our juvenile defense law firm is committed to helping teens like yours fight for their futures. Set up a time to discuss your child’s charges by calling us at 909-894-0812 or contacting us online.
Stephen Levine, is a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Defense — an honor achieved by only the top criminal law attorneys in California. Mr. Levine has over 40 years of experience in criminal defense and family law serving Southern California, and is a highly regarded Super Lawyer as well as AV Rated attorney.