CourtProcess
CourtProcess
1.What issues arose surrounding the case in terms of adjudicating thesuspect in juvenile or adult court?
Duringthe process of suspect adjudication, there are several issues thatcan be experienced. First and foremost, the suspect often try tounderstand the proceedings. More often than not, the main challengeinvolves lack of comprehensible communication, misunderstandingbetween the lawyers, judge or prosecutors and the suspect as well asmisunderstanding of the offenses and the sentencing guidelines. Also,some suspects tend to have a wrong understanding or misconceptionabout a certain law hence causing friction during the process.Furthermore, suspects may have stress and anxiety concerning theoutcome of the court proceedings for instance when trying tounderstand why he/she faces a certain sentence or crime [ CITATION Mic14 l 1033 ].
2.How, if found guilty, was the juvenile sentenced, and whatindividuals in the court process made an impact?
Inthis case, the juvenile was found guilty of robbery with violencesince he possessed a weapon (gun) during the time of the crime. Assuch, due to the magnitude of the offense, he was tried in an adultcourt and subsequently sentenced to a 16-year jail term. Apparently,the individuals who played a vital role for this outcome included thejudge and prosecutor. In this case, the prosecutor took advantage ofthe defendant’s choice to take the stand. Due to the bad impressioncreated by the defendant and the strong evidence provided duringvictim cross-examination, the jurors were swayed towards convictingthe suspect.
3.Do you believe that the sentence was adequate? Excessive?
Inmy opinion, the sentence seems to be adequate because of thefollowing reasons. First and foremost, juveniles can be treated asadults depending on the magnitude of the crime. In this case, thesuspect committed a crime that is highly punishable by law (up to 25years) for an adult. Secondly, this was also the second time that theindividual was accused of committing an almost similar crime. Assuch, his age and actions called for the transfer of the case to anadult court and hence this particular sentence. By doing so, justicehas been served because the youth is increasingly becoming a threatto the society and what better way is there than to serve suchpunishment?
4.What are the ages of the juveniles, and what were the elements of thepre-adjudicatory stages of the process?
TheJuvenile’s age was 17 years, a figure that played a significantrole in the sentence. According to the law, juveniles between theages of 1 and 17 can be tried at adult courts depending on the typeof crime and the number of times convicted among other importantfactors. For this particular suspect, the criminal case did not gofurther into trial simply because the evidence brought forwardagainst the accused was overwhelming. This therefore made theconviction to be highly probable. In such a scenario, the defendantwas left with no choice but to plead guilty with the objective ofobtaining a lower sentence [ CITATION Leg16 l 1033 ].
5.What relation did the victims have to the juveniles?
Thevictims did not have any particular relations with the juvenilesuspect except for the fact that the perpetrator was a frequentcustomer in the victim’s mall. Apparently, the suspect once had acousin who worked at the same shop a fact that seems to have tieswith the robbery crime. Unlike crimes that involve kin, this is anexample of street offenses where one or more robbers come togetherand try to empty the cash registers of any vulnerable business. Beingan area that is highly profitable and the easy access, coupled withthe knowledge of the owners and cash flow proved to be the mainattraction.
6.How can you better manage how juveniles are processed and strategiesto prevent delinquency?
Delinquencyprevention tries to redirect juveniles who are at risk fordelinquency or committed delinquency offences. Management strategiesinclude the provision of positive and consistent adult contact topromote development, laying out interventions that offers streetconnection to the youth and one-to-one mentoring for at riskjuveniles. Furthermore, strength-based advocacy can be done to divertarrested youth from the common formal processing tocommunity-oriented services. Family-centered prevention strategiescan be designed to deter alcohol and drug use while multidimensionalpsychoeducation promotes prosocial behavior for the aggressive andviolent juveniles, helping them develop social skills, emotionalcontrol and ethical reasoning [ CITATION Mar163 l 1033 ].
References
Legislative Analyst’s Office . (2016). Proposition 57: Criminal Sentences. Juvenile Criminal Proceedings and Sentencing. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. California: The California Legislature`s Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor.
Smith, M. (2014, May 9). Confessions of a Public Defender. Retrieved from American Renaissance: https://www.amren.com/features/2014/05/confessions-of-a-public-defender/
Theoharis, M. (2016). Juvenile Theft and Burglary Laws. Retrieved from Criminal Defense Lawyer: http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/juvenile/theft.htm#
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