Juvenile Delinquency Charges

If you’re under the age of 18 and you’ve been arrested or charged with a crime, Contact our Fairfax County juvenile crimes lawyer Jad Sarsour.  Mr. Sarsour aggressively defends juvenile clients to prevent the stigma attached with having a juvenile record.

Juveniles are defined as minors or those under the age of 18. In most cases juveniles are treated differently from adult offenders. Even though many juvenile offenses, such as shoplifting, receiving stolen property, assault, sexual assault, etc., are comparable to adult offenses, the penalties could often be more severe for juveniles. Offenses that are unique to juveniles include breaking curfew and truancy.

There are separate courts, institutions, and rules governing the juvenile process; and generally the juvenile court system will make every effort to rehabilitate the child rather than choose incarceration. Only in extreme cases such as murder, kidnapping, arson and rape will a juvenile be tried as an adult. The courts may hold a “fitness hearing” to decide whether or not to transfer the juvenile to the adult court system. The court will base its decision on the following factors:

  • The seriousness of the offense
  • The child’s criminal sophistication
  • Previous offenses
  • Previous attempts to rehabilitate the offender
  • Court’s belief that future rehabilitation attempts will be unsuccessful

A Criminal Defense Attorney to Protect Your Rights

The laws may differ for adults and juveniles, but for the most part, the rights do not. For example, you must be read your Miranda rights. A good juvenile criminal defense attorney may be your only defense against facing jail time or probation. In every case, the charge must be vigorously defended to prevent a conviction.

If you have questions regarding juvenile crimes, contact Jad Sarsour today for a free consultation. We are available to take appointments days, evenings, and weekends. We accept all major credit cards.

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