Juvenile Crimes

Interviewer: Do you represent many juvenile cases?

Jack O’Donnell: Yes, quite a bit.

Interviewer: What kind of crimes are juveniles committing?

Jack O’Donnell: Everything that adults commit except spousal abuse, but they’ll abuse their parents, there’s sibling assault, there’s sibling sexual assaults, drugs, larcenies, burglaries, everything.

Are Juveniles Aware of the Difference between a Robbery Charge and a Burglary Charge?

Interviewer: Do they know the difference between a robbery and a burglary?

Jack O’Donnell: I don’t know if they know, but they frequently use the term interchangeably. The reality is a burglary is when you enter a dwelling, or a business, or an automobile with the intent to commit a crime therein.

Interviewer:  What are the differences in juvenile court as opposed to the courts adult attend?  What can you do for them?

The Goal of Juvenile Sentencing Is Trying to Impose an Appropriate Punishment That Entails the Offender Learning from His or Her Mistake

Jack O’Donnell: The goal is the same as when I defend an adult. I try to keep them out of jail. Jail for juveniles is known as juvenile detention.  In juvenile court, they try to tailor the punishment to the crime and make sure it’s appropriate. A goal of juvenile court is that there are lessons being learned as opposed to just punishment for punishment’s sake.

Internet Bullying Is Becoming More Prevalent

Interviewer:  Have you seen cases concerning Internet bullying?  Are those cases becoming more common?

Jack O’Donnell: Yes, and I see it more frequently among females. They will say or write vicious comments back and forth. Ultimately, it escalates into a physical confrontation because such inflammatory things have been said or posted online.

Interviewer: Can they get in big trouble for that?

Jack O’Donnell: Yes, of course. There’s threatening on the Internet, so it’s not just bullying, but direct threats can be made.

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