In the past, juvenile crimes were often overlooked. Today, juveniles are being prosecuted at a higher rate. Moreover, there is a current trend for the State of Florida to “direct file” criminal charges in adult court. It is now common to see 16 and 17 year-old children being charged as adults.
There is a big difference between the juvenile court system and the adult court system. There are many benefits to having your case remain in juvenile court. Overall, the goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate the offender. On the other hand, juveniles that are prosecuted in the adult system will be treated like adults. Unlike juvenile court, the primary purpose of adult sentencing is punishment. While rehabilitation is a noteworthy goal, a juvenile that is prosecuted as an adult will often be punished just like an adult. This can include incarceration in the Florida State Prison system.
When I was a Gang prosecutor in Miami, I had the opportunity to prosecute juveniles for almost every kind of offense imaginable. My past experience includes obtaining “adult” convictions against some of the most violent and dangerous juvenile gang members in our area.
Juvenile crimes can be very serious! They have the potential to stick with you forever. Therefore, they deserve serious attention. If your child or family member needs an experienced criminal trial attorney, the Grieco Criminal Law Center can handle any type of juvenile case.
