What to do if Your Teen is Arrested

Nobody has ever said that raising kids is easy. From the moment they arrive, your life is never going to be the same. They can be very challenging, but at the same time, they are an enriching part of your life. No matter how hard you try to instill in them the right values and moral codes, you might still find they surprise you with their behavior.

While it might not be something you want to think about, your child could get in trouble with the law. With more than 30% of people in the US being arrested before the age of 23, the chances of it happening are increasing. Knowing what to do if it does happen will help you keep your perspective and allow you to help rather than hinder. The most important thing is for you to stay calm, support them, and ensure they get fair treatment.

Unfortunately, there is no set national procedure for a juvenile suspected of criminal activity. It’s down to individual states and departments to have their own laws. There is, however, a general procedure that tends to be followed.

Juvenile Arrest Procedure

A custodial arrest is the first step of the process, and a police officer undertakes this. Following on from that there is a juvenile summons, and the custodial arrest can be based on a search warrant. It can also be followed by transfer to a juvenile detention center. When your teen has been arrested, you, as their parent, will be notified. You will be informed of where they are being held, what they’re being charged with and the next step law enforcement officers are planning to make.

If your teen is arrested and taken into custody, they will be booked. What this means is that their fingerprints and photograph will be recorded. They will also be interviewed. Something else that might happen, if they’re arrested under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is that they may be medically screened.

Can You be Present When Your Teen is Being Interviewed?

There is no federal right for parents to be present when their child is being interviewed. However, in most situations, you will be allowed to speak with them and possibly even stay when they're formally questioned. Juveniles do, however, have the right to have an attorney present. The best thing you can do for them is to get lawyers involved as early on in the process as possible. If you need criminal lawyers Anchorage, get in touch with Eric Derleth or visit his website.

Your teen will have to inform the arresting officers that they want a lawyer to be present, at which point, questioning will have to stop until one is present.

While it may be very tempting to offer your advice, you could get them into further trouble as saying something incriminating or false could severely damage the outcome of the case. The best thing you can do is to listen and not be judgmental, while at the same time being very supportive.