Practice Areas

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney

Juvenile Crimes

Learning that your child has been accused of committing a crime and wondering what will happen to him or her is obviously a very frightening experience for any parent.

In recent years, our justice system has changed the way it treats juvenile offenders. It doesn’t recognize that children are different from adults: they lack adult judgement, so they don’t always understand what the result of their actions will be. Sometimes they make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes are serious enough that they enter our criminal justice system.

Your Child Could Be Tried as an Adult

Currently, in the state of California, children as young as 14 can be tried as adults if they are charged with a serious crime. That means a child can face the same penalties an adult would face for the same crime, except for the death penalty. So now children are being sent to state prison for the rest of their lives for crimes committed when they were under 18.

Everyone wants to reduce crime, and everyone wants to live in a safe neighborhood, so these increasingly harsh punishments for minors have been approved by the public. But is this really the best way to make ourselves safer?

I don’t believe it is. Imprisoning children with adults is destined to have a negative outcome. It’s a very dangerous environment for minors to be in, physically and psychologically. Imagine your child being locked up in a jail cell with dangerous adult criminals. How can that possibly lead to a positive, long-term outcome?

what can I do for a minor accused of committing a crime?

Fortunately, there are a lot of things I can do.

First, I do everything I can to keep the matter in juvenile court, and not allow the child to be tried in adult court. I review all of the evidence against the minor. Was it properly obtained? Is it sufficient for a conviction? I strongly believe the foundation of every case is preparation, and I leave no one stone unturned in my search for all the facts of the case.

Next, I look into the minor’s background to gather as much information as possible, BEFORE the court refers the case to the probation department. So many attorneys allow the probation to prepare a report without supplying positive information about the minor.

I get information from family members, friends, teachers—anyone who has interacted with the child. In this way, I am able to paint an accurate picture of the child. No one should be reduced to a criminal charge; the real picture is always more complex than that. By spending a lot of time at this stage, I am able to dramatically increase the minor’s chances of getting a favorable report from the probation department.

I also have extensive experience working with psychologists, in an effort to show the court how the minor’s upbringing and social circumstances affected him or her. When I am able to match the right psychologist to a given case, and the psychologist issues an opinion consistent with mine, our case becomes that much stronger.

Minors charged with crimes often have substance abuse problems that need to be addressed. I work with my network of professional counselors to find treatment programs to help those children. This personalized attention means that the parents and I are able to choose a program for the child, rather than have one imposed by the probation department.

There is Hope For Your Child

I truly believe that anyone accused of a crime deserves the best defense possible. Minors are in a special category because they have so much to lose. If someone does something wrong, then of course there will be consequences. But those consequences should be fair, and our goal should always be to get people back on track.

I believe we can help minors accused of crimes, and I have done just that for over 25 years as a California State Bar board-certified criminal law specialist. It takes work and dedication, but when I get favorable results for my clients and see them go on to lead full, productive lives, it’s worth it.

Contact Me Today for a Free Consultation

You can contact my office to schedule a free consultation about your case by calling toll free 1 (800) 972-1740 (phones are answered 24/7) or by filling out the form on the right. We have many offices in the Los Angeles area; you can also let us know if you would prefer to meet at your home or place of business. We look forward to hearing from you.

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