Efficient, Effective and Dedicated Counsel

Protecting Minors And Defending Their Rights

If you are the parent or legal guardian of someone under the age of 18, and they have been charged with a crime, that child still has the right to an attorney to ensure that they are protected while going through the criminal justice system. Here at Heitke Counselors Associates LLC, we have skilled attorneys with experience representing children and adolescents in the courtroom.

While the process for someone under the age of 18 is different for committing a crime than it is for someone over the age of 18, it is still essential to have an attorney involved to ensure that they will be there to provide the representation needed.

How Children Are Protected

For children, the future can sometimes feel much farther away than it actually is. They can be impulsive and mischievous; unfortunately, sometimes this leads to behavior that is considered criminal. While children can be charged for crimes, how the justice system chooses to handle anyone under the age of 18 is not the same as how it treats adults.

Thanks to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, there are very clear guidelines in Rhode Island for how children being charged with a crime should be processed in the criminal justice system. The goal isn’t to punish, but instead to rehabilitate children so they can eventually become successful adults.

While the system can be more forgiving to children being charged for a crime than it is for an adult, that doesn’t mean that it can’t still be life changing. An attorney can help both you and the minor being charged for a crime understand what next steps will be taken throughout the criminal defense process.

Get Help For A Child In Trouble

Help is available for a minor who is facing a criminal charge as a juvenile. Our attorneys can fight for options that cause as little disruption as possible, while helping the minor get back on the road to responsible adulthood. To learn more about what one of our attorneys can do to help, call us today at 401-443-9579 or use our online contact form.