Juvenile Crimes

In the State of Illinois, when a minor under the age of 17 commits a crime, the offender is treated as a juvenile and his or her case proceeds through the Juvenile Courts system. However, there are instances when a juvenile commits a crime, he or she is charged as an adult and their case is handled in the adult court system.  These types of crimes generally involve serious offense such as murder and gun-related charges. Generally, the penalties for crimes committed by minors are often less harsh than an adult court’s punishment for the same crime, but this is not always the case, as a minor’s age and the severity of their charges can often result in very severe penalties.

In the recent past, the unlawful acts committed by minors were often written off as “youthful folly and indiscretion”, with the consequences being dealt with outside of any court system.  Many parents know that their children often make foolish mistakes and are frequently subject to peer pressure and may make decisions they may not make if they were alone. However, now these same indiscretions are met with juvenile criminal charges that can result in very serious consequences, including incarceration in a juvenile detention facility.

At the Law Offices of Peter W. Lewis