Juveniles facing criminal charges in Virginia could benefit from changing approaches to the sentencing of youthful offenders. Two rulings from the Supreme Court of the United States have shifted the emphasis from extreme punishment of juvenile criminal offenders to one of rehabilitation.
SCOTUS rulings signal new approach to juvenile sentencing
Virginia teen threatens school massacre
A 17-year-old Virginia student has been taken into custody on weapons charges for allegedly threatening an attack on his school on what would have been the anniversary of the Columbine High School attack. According to an affidavit, a 16-year-old classmate said the older student had spoken about the Columbine attack several times throughout the school year.
It's educate over incarcerate for Virginia teens in graffiti case
Juvenile justice requires a special sensitivity. This is widely recognized here in Virginia as well as the rest of the country. The fact that an entire system is dedicated to the special handling of juvenile offenses reflects the widely held view that young people who commit crimes often do so out of ignorance rather than forethought. The logic that follows is that education should be preferred over incarceration for most juveniles.
When a teenage son or daughter is facing criminal charges
A big part of growing up is learning from your mistakes. While parents and other role models can attempt to guide and keep a child safe and out of trouble, by the time a child enters middle or high school, peer pressure often trumps any such advice and, for some kids, mistakes and errors in judgment can have serious consequences.
