Has your child been involved in a gang-related arrest? If so, they are probably intimidated and afraid, and hopefully, full of remorse over what happened. This can be extremely stressful for a parent though, and you may not know where to turn—especially if the crime is very serious and you are worried about your child going to jail.
Gangs are a scourge in California, and many of them prey on younger citizens, drawing them in when they are vulnerable and easily manipulated. Today, there are many programs that work with local law enforcement, educating kids before problems occur—as well as helping to reduce the recidivism rate. Issues that need to be addressed usually begin with guns, as this is where much of gang violence begins (and ends) and gets kids in trouble when they take guns to school—on the bus—or even near a school.
Special programs also help with many issues that may be going on with school, such as stressing the importance of getting a high school diploma, and how to have better attendance, along with avoiding being suspended or expelled. Such programs may also help decrease the amount of graffiti. Most of all though, they are centered around preventing the ever-increasing amount of gang-related drug activity and murder.
If your child has been in trouble with law enforcement and is expected to attend a court date, or if they have just been arrested, call a skilled juvenile defense attorney from a firm like the Dolan Law Offices as soon as possible. If your child is 14 or over, there is the chance that they could be tried as an adult for serious offenses like murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, or other charges. In some cases, kids may end up in foster care, on probation, or in specialized camps that still allow them to go to school while serving time. Other minor children may be sent to the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) until they are at least 18. If they are 18 at the time that they are sentenced in front of a judge, they could go directly to an adult prison.
If your minor has been charged with a gang crime, call Dolan Law Offices as soon as possible. We have defended hundreds of adults and juveniles in these matters, with successful results—and it is very important to try and avoid a gang crime conviction that would be on your child’s record permanently, leading to further escalation if there were another charge in the future. Call us at (760) 775-3739 or contact us online as soon as possible.