How are juveniles charged and sentenced in criminal matters?
A minor can be charged, under certain circumstances, as an adult. Sixteen and 17 year olds are automatically charged as adults and 13 to 15 year olds may be charged as adults for more serious and violent crimes. If they’re charged as an adult, they’re subject to the same penalties an adult would have. The Family Courts in New York State are designed to handle cases involving minors. The most severe penalty that they can usually receive is to be held in a youth facility until either the age of 18 or 21. When a minor is convicted of a crime as an adult, he or she is called a “youthful offender”. It’s a way to seal his or her record. So, when the minor receives a youthful offender status, the record is sealed and it doesn’t show up as a criminal conviction on the minor’s record. Understanding the system helps kids build a better future Schlissel says that it’s very common for employers to ask whether or not someone has been convicted of a crime on an employment application; checking yes o