New Jersey families face unprecedented challenges today. Rising health care and education costs, decreasing home values and a stagnant economy make raising children in New Jersey more difficult than ever. As a result, the parent who finds him or herself in the unfortunate position of having their child arrested or charged with a crime can be quickly overcome with emotion and confusion. Police and prosecutors are all too familiar with this situation. Frequently, authorities will put immense pressure on parents and children to hastily make statements or plead guilty. Before taking any steps that could jeopardize your child’s future forever, it is imperative to contact a criminal defense attorney experienced in juvenile matters. The Law Offices of Thomas Carroll Blauvelt, LLC are experienced criminal defense attorneys who are highly skilled in the criminal and juvenile trial setting, seasoned in negotiating with state prosecutors, and thoroughly familiar with all facets of juvenile law.
Nearly 65,000 juveniles are arrested every year in the state according to New Jersey State Police statistics. The most common offenses for which juveniles are arrested are drug violations (N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10), larceny-theft and shoplifting (N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11), disorderly conduct (N.J.S.A. 2C:52-3), assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1), liquor law violations (N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2), and burglary (N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2).
The New Jersey Criminal Justice system imposes stringent penalties on minors accused of breaking the law. While it favors rehabilitation over incarceration and is generally preferable to the adult system, there are still extremely serious ramifications that can have an immensely negative impact on your child’s future.
In New Jersey, a juvenile charged with a crime faces not a criminal conviction, but rather a juvenile adjudication of delinquency. “Delinquency,” means the commission of an act by a juvenile that if committed by an adult would constitute either a crime; a disorderly persons offense or petty disorderly persons offense; or a violation of any other penal statute, ordinance or regulation (N.J.S.A. 2A: 4A-23).
Many juveniles and parents incorrectly assume that juvenile records are “sealed” or erased once the child reaches 18 years of age. This is a common and sometimes tragic misconception. In New Jersey, your Record of Arrest and Prosecution (RAP sheet) contains every arrest, charge, and conviction you have ever had in the state, whether it occurred when you were a juvenile or adult. Your RAP sheet is always available to police, prosecutors and other public officials. Having any blemish on your RAP sheet can result in discrimination, enhanced penalties, and other negative consequences.
Worse, on rare occasions, even the public can sometimes access juvenile criminal records. If your child has been adjudicated delinquent (found guilty of a New Jersey juvenile crime) of any charge that would constitute a first, second, or third degree crime if it had been committed by an adult, the public and even the news media may have access any records that result (N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-60).
If your child has a New Jersey juvenile crime record, their future will be severely limited. Any kind of public employment may be jeopardized. Additionally, all professional licensing bodies such as state Bar Associations, Nursing and Medical Schools, and Accounting Boards will require disclosure of all arrests and charges, whether they occurred as a juvenile or an adult. Furthermore, as the saying goes, if your child has any law enforcement aspirations … forget about it!
If your child is arrested or charged with a juvenile crime in New Jersey, you are not alone. You must act immediately to preserve you and your child’s interests. By delaying in retaining an attorney, you may expose your child to probation, detention, and permanent social stigma. Children and teenagers with juvenile criminal records in New Jersey face great challenges and disadvantages later in life as well. Many of these consequences can be avoided or mitigated by immediately hiring an attorney. Time is of the essence; the earlier an attorney can engage on your child’s behalf, the better.
If your child has been arrested, charged with a crime, or is under suspicion by the New Jersey authorities, you should immediately contact The Law Offices of Thomas Carroll Blauvelt, LLC to learn how we may effectively defend your child throughout the New Jersey juvenile criminal process. Our help is only a toll-free phone call away! Call 1-877-676-7729 and speak with an experienced New Jersey Juvenile Criminal lawyer 24/7.
