What to do if Your Child Receives a Juvenile Probation Letter?
As a parent, it feels dreadful when your child brings a letter of detention or other disciplinary actions from school.
But what if one fine day, you receive a letter from the Juvenile Court? That is something that you need to worry about. Your child only receives a Juvenile Probation letter if the police get information about your child’s delinquency and forward it to the Juvenile Probation Court.
What to do After You Receive this Letter?
Receiving a Juvenile Probation Letter is quite a serious thing, and more importantly, it requires your response! Also, you might not be able to understand your child’s actions, as the letter won’t specify any details about the case.
In such a situation, at the Logue Law Group, we highly recommend that you contact our juvenile defense lawyers. We understand that such formal notices can be a big concern for you as a parent. But you also need to keep in mind that every time your child faces a Juvenile matter, a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer must always represent him/ her. That’s because they are experienced professionals and can help your child deal with the allegations against them.
What is an Act of Delinquency?
The term ‘delinquency’ in the legal landscape means a crime committed by a minor, which would be considered a ‘crime’ if they were 18 years or above!
And some of the most common ‘crimes’ that might result in your child receiving a Juvenile Probation Letter are-
- Truancy
- Assault
- Sexual misconduct
- Possession of a drug or alcohol
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Carrying firearms to school
What Can You Send as a Response to the Letter?
Remember that a Juvenile Probation letter is quite a serious legal matter. But don’t assume the worst. Instead, hire a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer from our firm as soon as you can.
The letter will specify a date and time for an ‘intake conference’ with a Juvenile Probation Intake Officer. Make it a point to contact your lawyer soon, so that they can represent your child in this interview. This is the best way to protect your child when they have to deal with the Juvenile Probation Department.
What happens at this intake conference?
Well, this intake conference is kind of an assessment, where your child will be asked some questions. And based on the answers, the intake officer will decide what step to take next. Here are the following things that the intake officer might do-
- He/ she might dismiss the case altogether.
- He/ she might refer your child to an informal supervision.
- He/ she might tell the prosecutor to file a petition with the juvenile court and proceed with a case.
Now, a petition means the matter has been elevated to a Juvenile Court Case. That means your child will have to pass through an adjudication hearing.
Another one of the options is that your child enters a consent decree to avoid the formal juvenile hearing. But opting for this option will leave a permanent mark of an arrest record on your child’s file. That’s exactly why you need a good Pittsburgh criminal lawyer, as they can surely churn out a positive outcome out of such complicated situations, and get your child’s records expunged effectively.
The Juvenile System in Pennsylvania aims to rehabilitate rather than punish. However, the consequences of a juvenile adjudication can have a lifelong impact on your child, and that’s what a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer can stop from happening.
So, if you’ve received a Juvenile Probation Letter, don’t think that it’s the end of the world for your child! Instead, contact us at the Logue Law Group, and hire our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers ASAP! Place a call at 844.PITT.DUI and book a free consultation today!