Children and teens make mistakes. There’s no question that adolescence is a time when you learn new things and push the limits of your personal boundaries. You also may push the limits of the law, not realizing how breaking the law can affect you in the long run.
What you thought was a simple error in judgment could be construed as an intentional act. You could be made to look like someone who is aggressive, violent or in trouble with addiction. Being charged with any crime — especially a sex crime — at this age can make it difficult to keep your reputation clean in the future. What you need to do when you’re charged is to speak with someone who can help you defend yourself.
Being tried as a juvenile typically means that once you turn 18, that record will be sealed. The problem with committing a crime as a juvenile is that a court can still decide to try you as an adult. If that happens, you could be facing a lifetime of trouble for a one-time mistake that lands on your permanent record.
Sex crimes in particular can make your life incredibly difficult; you could have to register as a sex offender and may need to take precautions against violating the terms of your court sentence for years to come. For example, you could have to register as a sex offender in each place you travel to, making it hard to escape the negativity that comes with such an offense.
Our website has information that can help you defend yourself, so you don’t end up paying for a single crime for a lifetime. There are ways to protect yourself, so you have a better chance of only serving a punishment that you deserve.