When Are Juveniles Charged as Adults in New Jersey?
Most juveniles charged with a criminal offense will be sent through the New Jersey juvenile court system for penalties, which are usually built around rehabilitating the young offender. Some serious juvenile crimes, however, result in adult criminal proceedings that may affect the alleged offender for the rest of his or her life. The family of juvenile being tried as an adult would be well advised to seek legal guidance from an experienced defense attorney right away.
A juvenile case may be transferred to an adult criminal court if the judge waives the protections that the juvenile court provides. This typically only happens in serious cases such as rape or homicide, but it can also occur in cases involving repeat offenders. It is also more likely that a juvenile will face adult charges if the alleged offender is over the age of 16 and has committed a similar offense before. When past rehabilitation efforts have failed and youth services have been unsuccessful at helping the juvenile, a judge may be more prone to treat the juvenile as an adult.
Juveniles charged as adults are allowed representation and they even have the right to fight the decision to be tried in adult criminal court. The history of the defendant will be taken into account and as well as his or her willingness to get treatment.
The New Jersey juvenile crime defense attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein handle both juvenile and adult criminal cases. Our reputed defense attorneys provide free consultations to anyone facing charges in New Jersey. If your son or daughter is facing serious criminal charges, please contact us at 609-240-0040. We will fight for your child's rights and strive to obtain the best possible outcome in your case.
