Will my child have to go to jail if accused or convicted of committing a juvenile crime in New Jersey?

In some cases, the juvenile who is charged with a crime will be placed in a juvenile detention facility. However, under New Jersey law, a hearing may be held the day after such placement to determine whether continued confinement is appropriate. If the child continues to be held in custody after the initial hearing, another hearing to review the confinement may be held in 14 days. Hearings continue to be held frequently throughout the time period in which the juvenile is held pending charges, and a skilled juvenile crimes lawyer can make a strong argument that your child should be permitted to return home pending resolution of the case.

My child has no previous criminal record. Will it be necessary to go through the formal criminal justice process?

In some juvenile crime cases where the juvenile has no prior record and the crime alleged is relatively minor, the law enforcement officers involved may determine that it is best to avoid filing a formal criminal complaint. In those cases, what is known as a “stationhouse adjustment” will take place, and involves a meeting between the child’s parents or guardian and the victim. Generally, some sort of punishment will be agreed upon—such as requiring the minor to make restitution or attend educational courses designed to prevent further juvenile criminal behavior. This can allow the minor to avoid the formal juvenile criminal justice system.

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Juvenile Crimes

New Jersey Juvenile Crime Defense Attorneys

Juvenile Crime Lawyers in Moorestown, NJ: Guiding Young Clients Towards a Brighter Future in Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, and Throughout South Jersey

Juvenile crimes are prosecuted differently under New Jersey law for good reason. While crimes committed as a juvenile can have the same consequences as those committed as an adult, in certain circumstances a focus on rehabilitation in conjunction with punishment is more appropriate because juveniles are at an age where they may be unable to make concrete decisions with a firm understanding of the lasting consequences that their actions can generate. Even under circumstances where public policy dictates that a punishment must apply, we simultaneously recognize that young people may be subject to different impulses and rash behavior that is partially justified by age.

If you or your child has been accused of committing a crime punishable as a juvenile, the advice and advocacy of a skilled juvenile crimes lawyer is extremely important to protecting the accused’s future. This is especially true in juvenile cases because New Jersey courts have considerable discretion in the types of punishments that juveniles will be subject to even if convicted of the crime accused. At Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, our skilled juvenile crimes lawyers are committed to formulating strategies designed to garner consequences aimed at rehabilitation to prevent one childish misstep from adversely impacting the client’s entire future.

Juvenile Crime Lawyers in Moorestown, NJ: Guiding Young Clients Towards a Brighter Future in Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, and Throughout South Jersey
Understanding Juvenile Crimes in New Jersey
Attorneys Hartman, Chartered Focus on Client Rehabilitation in Burlington County Juvenile Crime Cases
Call Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation if You or a Child Have Been Accused of Committing a Crime as a Juvenile in Mount Laurel, NJ

Understanding Juvenile Crimes in New Jersey

Generally, a crime will be prosecuted as a juvenile crime if the accused individual was under the age of 18 at the time the crime was allegedly committed. Despite this, in some cases, the judge may determine that it is appropriate to treat the crime as though it was committed by an adult—this is particularly true in cases involving very serious violent crimes. Because of the differences in the way juvenile crimes are treated, they are usually heard by the family court judge in the county where the juvenile resides.

However, in some cases, more informal options may be available to avoid appearing in family court. Alternative possibilities include:

Juvenile Conference Committee. Relatively simple juvenile crimes may be heard by a juvenile conference committee, which is a panel comprised of volunteer citizens who a family court judge appoints to consider an appropriate punishment.
Juvenile Referee. A juvenile referee is an attorney who hears the case instead of a judge, but who has the authority of a judge in the case. The referee recommends an appropriate disposition of the case, which is then reviewed by the family court judge.

Additional differences between juvenile crimes and adult crimes include:

In juvenile cases, the juvenile is not entitled to a trial by jury,
Juveniles are required to be represented by an attorney at all hearings,
Rather than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard that applies in adult cases, juvenile crimes are judged by a “best interests of the child” standard in most cases,
Variations in sentencing, for example, an adult convicted of a first-degree crime could face up to 20 years in prison, while a juvenile who is “adjudicated delinquent” for committing the same crime would face up to four years in jail.

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Attorneys Hartman, Chartered Focus on Client Rehabilitation in Burlington County Juvenile Crime Cases

New Jersey judges have significant discretion in determining the appropriate sentence for a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent. At Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, our juvenile crimes lawyers work tirelessly to form a compelling argument for a sentence that focuses on reform and rehabilitation, rather than strictly punishment. Factors that may be considered in determining the appropriate punishment include:

The type of offense involved,
Any ongoing threat that the juvenile poses to public safety,
The damages or harm caused by the offense, including the impact on the victim and the community,
The juvenile’s needs, including from academic, social, psychological and physical standpoints,
The juvenile’s age and any previous criminal record,
Any other relevant issues.

Common alternatives to formal detainment in cases involving juvenile crimes include:

Deferred disposition, which is a process that allows the juvenile charges to be dropped after the juvenile completes certain court-ordered requirements,
Community services,
Restitution,
Probation,
Monetary fines,
Substance abuse treatment
Counseling,
Driver’s license suspension,
Written assignments aimed at reforming the child’s behavior,
Educational or vocational programs.

Call Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation if You or a Child Have Been Accused of Committing a Crime as a Juvenile in Mount Laurel, NJ

If your child has been accused of committing a crime in Mount Laurel or elsewhere in New Jersey, call or contact the skilled juvenile crimes lawyers at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered to advocate on your behalf. We are committed to helping you throughout the entire juvenile criminal justice process and will zealously fight for your child’s rights every step of the way.

Frequently Asked Questions About Juvenile Crimes Cases in Medford, NJ

In some cases, the juvenile who is charged with a crime will be placed in a juvenile detention facility. However, under New Jersey law, a hearing may be held the day after such placement to determine whether continued confinement is appropriate. If the child continues to be held in custody after the initial hearing, another hearing to review the confinement may be held in 14 days. Hearings continue to be held frequently throughout the time period in which the juvenile is held pending charges, and a skilled juvenile crimes lawyer can make a strong argument that your child should be permitted to return home pending resolution of the case.
In some juvenile crime cases where the juvenile has no prior record and the crime alleged is relatively minor, the law enforcement officers involved may determine that it is best to avoid filing a formal criminal complaint. In those cases, what is known as a “stationhouse adjustment” will take place, and involves a meeting between the child’s parents or guardian and the victim. Generally, some sort of punishment will be agreed upon—such as requiring the minor to make restitution or attend educational courses designed to prevent further juvenile criminal behavior. This can allow the minor to avoid the formal juvenile criminal justice system.

Meet Your Team

Katherine D. Hartman, Esquire

Katherine D. Hartman is the Managing Partner in the Moorestown, New Jersey law office of Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, which has been named one of America’s Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report. She concentrates her practice in employment discrimination, criminal defense, police disciplinary matters, and other employment law issues. Katie has been practicing law for over thirty years. She was admitted to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bars in 1991, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in November of 1993, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in November of 2002, and the Supreme Court of the United States in October of 2002.

Katie has been awarded the highest (AV) rating for professional ability and high ethical standards, by Martindale Hubbell. Additionally, Katie has consistently been voted a Super Lawyer by New Jersey Magazine. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. She was named one of the Top Forty Lawyers under Forty by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2002.

Michael C. Mormando, Esquire

Michael C. Mormando has been practicing law for over twenty years, and is a Partner at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered. Mike is an active member in the Burlington County Bar Association, he is a former Chair of the Bar Associations’ Criminal Practice Committee, and he formerly served as a member of the Supreme Court of New Jersey District Ethics Committee for Burlington County, District III-B. Mike also served two years as Councilman for Ward 3 in Delran Township, having been elected to the post in the November 2018 general election, and he currently serves as the Chair of the Delran Township Zoning Board.

Mike’s areas of practice include criminal defense, DUI defense, traffic violation defense, employment law, discrimination and whistleblower cases, unemployment compensation appeals, labor representation for collective bargaining units, employment contract review and negotiations, and defense in police disciplinary matters. Mike is approved by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) as a lawyer who can represent law enforcement officers who face disciplinary or criminal charges. Mike also represents small business owners concerning employment issues.

Mark A. Gulbranson, Esquire

Mark A. Gulbranson, Jr., an attorney with Attorneys Hartman, Chartered, has been practicing law for nine years. Prior to joining Attorneys Hartman, Mark was a corporate associate in the gaming practice group of Fox Rothschild, where he represented clients in a range of corporate, regulatory, and real estate matters. Mark served as a judicial clerk for Justice Lee Solomon of the New Jersey Supreme Court, and for Judge George Leone, J.A.D., of the New Jersey Appellate Division.

Mark’s areas of practice include real estate transactions and related litigation, small business counseling and regulatory compliance, domestic violence matters, appellate advocacy, municipal court defense, employment law, discrimination and whistleblower cases, unemployment compensation appeals, employment contract review and negotiations, and defense in police disciplinary matters. Mark handles cases in the New Jersey Superior Court – Law and Appellate Divisions, the New Jersey Supreme Court, the United States District Courts for the Districts of New Jersey and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Office of Administrative Law, the New Jersey Department of Labor, the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and various municipal courts throughout New Jersey.