Juvenile Crimes

Juvenile criminal charges in Illinois can have lasting impacts on a young person’s life, from school opportunities to future employment. As a Joliet criminal defense attorney with over 20 years of experience, including my time as a former Will County prosecutor, I’ve helped families navigate the juvenile justice system to minimize consequences and secure second […]

Although Illinois banned life sentences for juvenile offenders under the age of 21 in 2023 (Public Law 102-1128), the law was not made retroactive. A bill to ensure that juvenile offenders who are already serving life sentences receive the same consideration stalled last session. While lawmakers tried again this year, the bill failed on a

Heightened police presence in schools and harsh zero-tolerance policies have led to a drastic increase in the number of juveniles who get arrested at school. Behaviors that used to result in no more than being suspended from school are now getting children handcuffed and charged with criminal offenses. Things like getting into a fight with

Having a juvenile criminal record can get in the way when you are applying to colleges or trying to get into a trade program. If you are charged as a juvenile, your record can be sealed when you become an adult. However, it is extremely common for teenagers to be charged and convicted as adults

Illinois has taken a significant step forward in juvenile justice reform. A new law, set to take effect on January 1, 2025, will automatically start the expungement timeline for juvenile offenders upon their release from detention. This change aims to help young people move past their mistakes and build better futures. The law amends the

In theory, the juvenile justice system in the U.S. seeks not to punish juvenile offenders but to rehabilitate them and to minimize the likelihood that they will end up facing charges for criminal wrongdoing as adults. This is not always how the system works in practice. However, this is the goal of most individuals who

Juvenile crime is a complex issue that affects not only the young defendants but also their families and communities. Today, we will discuss crimes juveniles are often accused of, police interrogation rules for juveniles, and common questions regarding juvenile crime. If your son or daughter has been charged with a crime, do not hesitate to

As an Illinois parent, you may wonder what responsibility you have if your teenage children and their friends are drinking alcohol at your home. You may have even heard of some parents thinking it is safer to host and supervise a party than take the chance that their teens are sneaking around. Under Illinois law,

Many parents do not want to believe that their child has done something wrong, let alone committed a crime. According to crime statistics published by the FBI, there were 481,006 juvenile offenders in 2016 across the United States. Juvenile crime is at the lowest it has been in years, but it still is an area

According to the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC), there were more than 32,000 juvenile arrests in Illinois alone in 2015. These arrests stem from a variety of crimes, from violent crimes like assault or battery, to common juvenile crimes such as underage drinking or drug use. Another common area of crime that juveniles tend to

If you are a parent, you probably spend a lot of time worrying about your child and the decisions he or she is making. Unfortunately, children and teenagers can sometimes get involved with the wrong crowd and make decisions which lead to criminal charges. Young people may behave in reckless or illegal ways because they

When a juvenile commits a felony crime such as murder, do they deserve to spend the rest of their life in prison? A recent Illinois Supreme Court decision says “no.” The U.S. Supreme Court had already ruled in 2012 that mandatory life sentences for juveniles who commit murder are unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment prohibition