Colorado Springs Juvenile Delinquency Attorney

If your child is charged with as a juvenile delinquency in Colorado Springs, an experienced criminal defense attorney can assist you to navigate the challenging juvenile court system and can assist you to avoid conviction or to reduce its severity.

What Does Juvenile Delinquency Mean?

“Juvenile delinquency” refers to criminal acts done by a minor who is in the age range of 10 to 18 years. A majority of criminal cases brought against minors within Colorado are handled in the juvenile courts of the state, with the possible punishments being probation, fines, detention in a youth corrections center or sentence to jail.

In some cases, the State can prosecute a juvenile through the adult court (district court). This direct route allows Colorado State to charge juveniles who are at least 14 years in unique cases where they are alleged to have engaged in violent crime.

A juvenile charged with criminal conduct may have several different juvenile delinquency offenses like

• Mischief
• Theft
• Truancy
• Curfew infringements
• Underage drinking, possession of marijuana, tobacco products, and other illegal items.

Under Colorado criminal justice, underage persons are handled differently to adults. Adult crimes are remedied through punishment for the offender, whilst juvenile offenders are offered rehabilitation and treatment by the system.

Penalties

A minor who is found to be guilty will face a broad range of punishments, based on the circumstances of their crime and their previous criminal record. The possible penalties meted out are probation, high fines, community service, or juvenile jail time.

If the juvenile is charged and convicted when over 18 years, he or she may face prison time. Also, the Court can rule that the child should be taken to hospital, be placed under the care of social services, or rule that the kid undergoes a certain treatment course, for instance, anger management.

In some cases, judges rule that juveniles found guilty as adults face a suspended prison sentence if they successfully complete Colorado’s Youthful Offender System (YOS). The program is designed to shape 14-18-year-olds convicted under direct file and 19-21-year-olds sentenced for other felonies into useful members of society.