Posts Tagged ‘offender’

Juvenile Court 2012 Community Report

Sep
27
Simms, on the topic of  Juvenile Court
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Each year the Utah Juvenile Court system prepares a community report to update Utah citizens about how things are progressing in the juvenile legal system. Since the juvenile court system is primarily concerned with helping kids, victims and reducing the rate of re-offending, the information contained in the community report is used to track how kids are doing in our state.

Photo: Bree Bailey

Juvenile Court Referrals

Juveniles can be referred to juvenile court by different agencies including the police and schools. Delinquency referrals can be for:

• felonies
• misdemeanors
• contempt of court
• status
• infraction
• traffic offenses

The community report notes that the majority of referrals to juvenile court in 2011 were for misdemeanors or contempt offenses. Felonies accounted for just 6% of the delinquency referrals. Felony referrals in 2011 were 5.8 per 1000 juveniles (ages 10-17), which is a slight decrease from the previous year.

Keeping Track of Re-Offenders

Another part of the community report discusses re-offending. Among male juveniles in 2009, 64% didn’t re-offend while for females in the same year, 73% weren’t re-offenders. One of the main goals of the juvenile court system is to help kids not commit crimes again.

Drug Testing

Drug testing is an additional gauge used to see how kids are doing. In 2011, 83% of females tested negative for drugs—a decline from 2010. Males, on the other hand, went from 81% testing negative to 82% testing negative for drugs.

Restitution for Juveniles

Restitution can be a requirement for some offenders in juvenile court. In 2011, $795,000 was repaid to victims of juvenile offenses. Having people, whether kids or adults, give back positively to victims of their crimes can be a good way to help everyone see that crime truly doesn’t pay.

Juveniles should generally be treated as such, which is why it’s good to know there are some people watching out for the rights of kids. In the same vein, it’s vital that your child be represented by a qualified, experienced Utah juvenile defense attorney if he is ever involved with the juvenile court system. An attorney can be a valuable resource and defender for a child in the court system, regardless of the charges he’s facing.

Help your child by contacting a Utah juvenile defense attorney today.

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Utah Youth Courts

Aug
09
Simms, on the topic of  Juvenile Defense Misc
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Utah youth courts were created as an alternative to traditional juvenile court situations. When a juvenile offender participates in one of several Utah youth courts, he has been identified as a having committed certain acts which require intervention in order to prevent further juvenile delinquency. The acts he has committed must qualify for being handled outside the traditional juvenile process.

Photo: Travis Mortz

What are Utah Youth Courts?

Utah youth courts are a diversion program and not a court established under the state’s constitution. It’s interesting to note that any person may refer a juvenile to a Utah youth court for minor offenses. Once a referral has been made, the case must be screened by an adult coordinator to determine if it qualifies for youth court.

Which Juveniles do Utah Youth Courts Have Authority Over?

Utah youth courts have authority over youth:

• Referred for a minor offense or offenses, or who are granted permission for referral under the law
• Who, along with a legal guardian, have voluntarily and in writing requested a Utah youth court become involved in the situation
• Who admit having committed the offense for which they’ve been referred
• Who, along with a legal guardian, waive their privilege against self-incrimination and the right to a speedy trial
• Who, along with a legal guardian, agree to follow the Youth Court’s disposition of their case

Utah youth courts may not have concurrent authority over juveniles who are under the jurisdiction of a juvenile court, except with permission from the appropriate legal representatives.

Utah youth courts may transfer a case back to the referring source for alternative handling at any time.

Let a Utah Juvenile Defense Attorney Help Your Child

If you have a child who you believe would benefit from alternate jurisdiction, you should contact a Utah juvenile defense attorney for advice. When your child is represented by an attorney, he can draw on the resources of that legal expert, which can result in a favorable outcome for your child—not just legally but also for life. Make that important phone call today.

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