Despite this reality, there are some crimes that a person can commit as a juvenile that can come back and haunt them as an adult. It is essential that when a juvenile is charged with a crime, they have a competent and effective legal defense attorney on their side. The potential long-term repercussions of a conviction could change the trajectory of their life. 

In California, Attorney Katie Walsh is an Orange County juvenile defense attorney who can help your child if they are facing criminal charges.

How Juvenile Crimes Can Impact Adult Criminality in California

Anyone can make a misstep or make a bad decision. However, when a child does something wrong, it is usually the accepted approach to give them the benefit of the doubt due to their innate naivety and immaturity simply because of their young age. Certain errors should not necessarily be something that follows a child around in life and hinders their ability to be productive and prosperous adults. 

When a child commits an unlawful act, it happens all too often that an inability to secure skilled legal defense can lead to poor legal outcomes that may adversely affect that child in the future. Similarly, parents who believe that a juvenile crime is unserious and will not be something that can harm their child as an adult is another issue.

There are certain crimes a juvenile may commit in California that will not be automatically sealed. As a result, if an individual is convicted of such a crime as a youth and then is convicted of committing another crime in adulthood, they may be subject to enhanced penalties due to their past indiscretions. As an adult, much more serious charges and punishments may be on the table if the adult established a criminal history when they were younger.

Speak to a California Juvenile Criminal Defense Attorney Today

Juvenile crimes are not insignificant or unserious. Even a minor infraction could have devastating consequences for a youth. When it comes to providing youth with a proper defense and ensuring that their case is handled correctly, it is crucial to work with an attorney who understands the nuances of the juvenile justice system.

To secure experienced juvenile criminal defense services in Orange County, please call the Law Office of Katie Walsh to schedule a free consultation at (714) 351-0178.

Children who’ve been traumatized may be more at risk for further victimization and juvenile delinquency, along with adult criminality. Depression, substance abuse, chronic disease, and poor school performance can also result from childhood trauma.

Read on as the Newport Beach juvenile criminal law attorney Katie Walsh explains more below.

Childhood Trauma Among Juvenile Justice Offenders

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has conducted many studies on how exposure to violence during childhood will affect a child. In one study, the University of Maryland researchers studied data gathered from 1,354 male and female participants over a 10-year period. The participants were serious youth offenders from Phoenix and Philadelphia who were between 14 and 17 at the time of the offense, which resulted in their incarceration. 

The study found that these youth had witnessed and experienced high levels of violence. Approximately half of them had seen someone being shot, and 30% had witnessed someone being murdered. Paranoid ideation and hostility were strongly associated with exposure to violence. In the study, researchers divided the participants into four groups:

• Minimally exposed to violence
• Witnessed gun and non-gun-related violence
• Exposed to non-gun-related violence
• Exposed to gun and non-gun-related violence

Compared to participants who were minimally exposed to violence, all other groups scored higher for paranoid ideation, depression, hostility, and psychoticism.

Incarcerated Youth Are Exposed to Violence in Correctional Facilities

Many times, youth who are incarcerated are exposed to even more traumatic situations while they are incarcerated. Loyola University Chicago researchers found that 75% of study participants reported witnessing violent encounters between other correctional facility residents, and 17% reported that other residents had personally victimized them. Approximately 2/3 of the participants said they witnessed violence between staff and residents. Additionally, 10% reported that they’d been victimized by staff, and 5% reported that they’d been beaten by correctional facility staff. 

Exposure to violence during adolescence significantly increased the juveniles’ risk of being re-arrested. Researchers also found that continued exposure to community violence during adolescence leads to higher re-offending levels during early adulthood. Adult re-offending is more likely when the adolescent offenders who experienced trauma exhibited a lack of emotion or used emotional detachment to self-protect from trauma. 

Is Your Child Facing Charges in Orange County? We Can Help

Juveniles exposed to traumatic incidents are likelier to have behavioral problems and exhibit antisocial behavior. Juveniles exposed to continuous, severely traumatic incidents before and during incarceration may be more likely to re-offend as adults. If your child has been charged with a crime in Orange County, it’s essential that you work with an attorney who understands the impact of trauma on juvenile delinquency. 

Contact the Law Office of Katie Walsh today to schedule a free case evaluation with an Orange County, CA, juvenile defense lawyer.