Are there special crimes to control children’s behavior?
While there is a special court system to handle juvenile crime, there is usually not a special juvenile criminal code. Adult criminal codes are applied in the juvenile system, but the children are not generally accused of crimes. Instead, they are accused of committing delinquent acts. Sentences are designed to educate and rehabilitate children, rather than punish them. Children cannot be locked up in adult jails except for very limited periods of time. A child held in an adult jail must be out of sight and sound contact with the adult inmates.
In earlier days, special crimes that only applied to children did exist. These crimes were the so-called status offenses and punished behavior that would not be criminal if committed by an adult. Status offenses included running away from home, skipping school, disobeying parents, and breaking curfew. The federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act made receipt of federal funds conditioned on eliminating status offenses, and most states have repealed any status offenses. However, these behaviors may still trigger an investigation by child protective services to determine if the child needs assistance from the court or social service agencies.
Kavinoky Law Firm
22130 Clarendon Street, 2nd Floor, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: (818) 346-4646 CaliforniaDUIHotline@gmail.com
The information on this site is not intended to be used as personal legal counsel, nor is to be used as a substitution for legal representation. We recommend that you consult a licensed attorney in order to address your litigation needs.
The Kavinoky Law Firm offices are located in Woodland Hills, California, and represents people living or driving in California, including the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Long Beach, San Jose, and San Diego, California and all outlying areas. The Kavinoky Law Firm also represents clients from any state, who were charged with criminal charges in California.
