Seattle Criminal Defense Law Blog
Are all juvenile offenders treated the same?
The juvenile justice system should treat all youth equally and fairly. However, there are actually a number of factors that influence how juvenile offenders are treated in Washington. The outcome of a teenager’s experience with the justice system often comes down to...
Undercounting Hispanic and Latino juvenile offenders
The juvenile justice system is supposed to treat all youthful offenders equally, but this is sadly not always the case. Hispanic and Latino juvenile offenders face higher rates of court-ordered placement and are detained twice as much as their white peers. The exact...
Could your child face adult criminal charges?
Most children charged with a crime before their 18th birthday will find themselves in juvenile court. However, in some specific cases, the court may charge a child as an adult, and that child will face more severe penalties if the court finds them guilty. Could...
What is a juvenile waiver?
Parents of teens who have been arrested generally expect their children to face charges as juveniles. However, it is possible that a judge may decide that a Washington teenager should be tried as an adult if he or she is accused of committing a more serious offense....
Is it time for youth prisons to close?
Sending Washington teenage offenders to juvenile detention facilities is a long standing practice, but not necessarily an effective one. Data and research indicate that youth prisons actually have the opposite of the intended effect. Here is why some advocacy groups,...
Alleged teenage offenders arrested for fire
Mistakes and lapses in judgments are important learning opportunities for teenagers on the path to adulthood. For many Washington teens, those mistakes have little effect on their futures. Unfortunately, others are not so fortunate and face charges as teenage...
Do you understand your stalking charge?
Being accused of a crime can be extremely upsetting, especially when what someone believed was acceptable behavior is labeled as dangerous. In Washington, this is often the case when it comes to allegations of stalking. Here are some of the reasons why a defendant...
Washington man arrested for beehive thefts
Police recently arrested a man they say was involved in beehive thefts in multiple states. He is facing a first degree charge for possession of stolen property, which is a felony. The first of possibly 30 or more thefts purportedly took place in Washington. The owner...
The connection between mental health issues and juvenile crime
In the past, we might have said that minors who get arrested and put into the King County juvenile justice system are "bad" and need to be "taught a lesson" to control their behavior. Today, we know that research has shown the truth: the vast majority of minors who...
Juvenile offenders — teen arrested for reckless driving
Teenagers are not exactly known for their great decision-making skills, but should poor decisions made during those years define their future? Unfortunately, this is often the case for juvenile offenders. Even if records do not directly follow them into adulthood,...
