Juveniles Accused of Sex Offenses Against Younger Children
Many parents are shocked to learn how common it is for a child to be accused of sexually assaulting a younger child. In fact, recent studies show that juveniles makeup one in four sex offenders and commit one in three sex offenses against other children. The goal in these cases is to protect the community and teach the child why the conduct is not allowed under the law so that no future problems occur.
Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors throughout Broward County take an extremely aggressive approach in these cases. Sometimes innocent children are lumped in with juveniles who are guilty of serious sex crimes. The outcome many of these cases is that the child must complete a sex offender treatment program specifically geared for a juvenile sex offender.
A parent has an obligation to protect their child after such an allegation. A criminal defense attorney can help the child understand the different options for resolving the case and the benefits of fighting the charges.
The criminal defense attorney can also help the child invoke his or her right to remain silent so that no incriminating statements are made are made before the case is resolved. Even children who are completely innocent often benefit from having an attorney represent them at every stage of the process.
Attorneys for Juvenile Sex Crimes in Broward County, FL
The attorneys at Meltzer & Bell represent juveniles throughout Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, FL, accused of committing a sexually motivated crime against a younger child. The most common offenses are sexual battery or a lewd and lascivious exhibition or molestation.
If your child has been accused of committing a sexually motivated act on a younger child, immediately seek out the services of a criminal defense attorney. Do not let your child talk to a law enforcement officer until after you have retained a criminal defense attorney to represent the child. The child has a constitutional right to remain silent about the allegations and to have a criminal defense attorney represent the child at all stages of the investigation.
Another big problem in these cases is that if a petition is filed by the State Attorney’s Office then that fact will be reported to the child’s school which can lead to a disciplinary action to expel the children or change the child’s placement even when the offense did not occur at school.
The accusations in these cases are diverse. Studies show that children accused of such offenses have extremely low recidivism rates. Many of these cases do not involve allegations of deviant sexual preferences or violence in juvenile sex crimes. Accusations can involve sharing pornography with younger children, or grabbing another child in a sexual way, or fondling a child over the clothes. More serious accusations involve date rape, gang rape, or performing a sex act on a much younger child.
The attorneys are Meltzer & Bell are experienced in juvenile sex offenses against other minor children. The prosecution and defense of these cases attract considerable controversy and debate. Call us to discuss your case.
The juvenile defense attorney at Meltzer & Bell can help you understand the charges, possible defenses to the accusation, and how to achieve the best possible result. Call (954) 765-6585 today.
Additional Resources
Juveniles Who Commit Sex Offenses Against Minors – Read this newsletter published by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. OJJDP is committed to improving the juvenile justice system and its response to crimes against children. The organization provides the latest information about child victimization including statistics and studies. The report relies on data regarding juvenile sex offending from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Incident-Based Reporting System. Find out why juveniles account for more than one-third (35.6 percent) of those known to police to have committed sex offenses against minors. Find out more about females or girls accused of sex offenses against younger children. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the Community Capacity Development Office; and the National Institute of Justice; the Office for Victims of Crime.
This article was last updated on Friday, November 5, 2016.