Important Steps To Follow If Your Child Is Charged With A Criminal Offense

The most serious nightmare of a parent could be a child committing a crime. A crime is an activity of doing something illegal and breaking the rule of law. It can be causing physical harm, destroying personal and public property, illegal trafficking, and many more criminal activities. All the children are innocent. They are unaware of committing a crime. Due to some reasons, they committed a crime.

Compared to all age groups young adolescents have an aggressive nature. It’s a natural process of their growth. Their body and mind will be in a gradual changing process. Even adults have an aggressive nature. It will be disturbing for both parents and children to know their child is charged with a crime. There are many factors child committed a crime. Some of them are as follows.

• Negative influence on your child from others
• Poor family environment and family conflict
• Learning bad habits from different sources
• Impulsive and aggressive nature
• Lacks of good parenting
• Involvement in bad activities
• Family and school pressure
• Mental illness
• Bad friends circle at school and high school

If your child is charged with a crime first of all you should know the law and legal rights of your child. Child crime will be handled by the juvenile court. In some cases, the juvenile court will not punish the underaged kid but put them on a trial period or special treatment center.

You will have to speed up to prepare yourself. You may have to take steps to safeguard your child and family. Here are the steps to take If your child is charged with a crime.            

1.  Know Your Child’s Right

Firstly, you should know the legal right of your child. If your child is under 16 or 17 years old, he/she is considered a minor and taken to juvenile court. The age consideration will be different country-wise. If your child is charged with a crime the police need to inform you as soon as possible. Your kid can only be interviewed by the police if you are present there.

In the absence of their parents, police aren’t allowed to interrogate their child and police shouldn’t be harsh on minors. Children have their right which can’t be violated by police. You should know all these rights and know if your child’s right is being violated or not.

2.  Know Your Child Crime

It’s important to know your child’s crime on what purpose your child is charged with a crime. If it’s a big crime then it will be better to seek professional help and if it’s a minor crime then you can also look after it. You should be able to know where your kids learn this criminal act.

A criminal act can be different. Your child can be charged with drug trafficking, destroying public property, carrying an illegal weapon, Bullying, and many other illegal criminal act. Some criminal acts can be considered and police grant bail to your child but in some criminal acts your kids have to face punishment given by the juvenile court.

3.  Be Supportive To Your Child

You need to support your child if they are charged with a crime. Supporting your child doesn’t mean that you should support their criminal activities. It means that you support your child to get rid of a criminal charge. You should assure your kids they are here to help. Make sure you understand the legal right and know on what purpose your child is charged with a crime.

If your child is charged with a crime you should have a conversation with them politely. Don’t be angry and show impulsive behavior in front of your children. Ensure you talk to them in a good manner and try to know why they have done this criminal act. Tell your kids that they have made an illegal mistake and tell your kids they might have to face the consequence. Assure them that you are here for support and the solution.

4.  Hire lawyers or Seek Professional Help

There are many good lawyers to defend your child’s case. You can hire lawyers if your child is charged with a crime. If your child is underaged and they are charged with a crime. The court will not be punished but they will be treated differently. They will be kept in a foster home or supervised by non-parents people.

If your child is over age and they are charged with a crime. There is a high possibility of punishment as per their criminal charges. You can also seek online professional help. There are many legal advisors where they can help you with the crime your child has committed and also try to provide a solution as much as possible. You must hire good lawyers to defend your child’s custody. 

5.  Provide Them Good Family Environment

It’s necessary to provide your child a good family environment. They can get bail from the police for their criminal act. Make sure you don’t treat them as criminals, it’s the major mistake that every parent makes. Instead of blaming them for their criminal act, you should try to find the problem. What are the reasons for their criminal act? From where they learn these habits? What is the problem with your kids?

Make sure you are aware of your kids about the criminal act and its punishment. You should be always there for your kids whenever they are in trouble and listen to their problems or issues. You should consider the act of your kids as a mistake and if it repeats then it’s a crime. Encourage your child not to get involved in these criminal acts and try to make a good friend circle. Be a good role model for your kids.

Steps To Prevent Your Child From Crime

It also depends on you how your kids behave. Parenting is the main factor to keep your kids within discipline boundaries. Not only parents, their friends, school, and high school environment also affects their behavior. If your kids have a bad friend circle then they can learn many bad habits or activities. So the steps to prevent your child from committing a crime are as follows.

• Provide them with a good healthy family environment
• Family conflict should be avoided in front of kids
• Listen to their problem and offer them help whenever they need yours.
• Know their friend circle
• Observed their behavior and activities
• Be involved
• Be a good role model
• Aware them of the mental health issues
• If needed use a parental control app to monitor your child’s activities
• Motivate them to avoid social isolation and follow healthy habits

Conclusion

Hence, these are the steps you should follow if your child is charged with a crime. Don’t panic and try to talk politely with the police. You should also notice that the police have followed their rules or not by informing you about the incident. Then know your child right and take solution measures according to the legal law. You should know what your kids are doing in school or at home.