Colorado Springs Juvenile Status Offense Crime Lawyer
A status offense refers to those offenses that only affect a group of people that meet a certain requirement, in most cases age. More specifically, a juvenile status offense in the state of Colorado can not only translate into harsh consequences and punishment in the immediate future, but can send a juvenile down a spiraling path of disappointment and failure that can have lasting effects on the juvenile's way of life, seriously impacting his or her future in the process.
Colorado Springs Juvenile Status Offense Crime Attorney
A juvenile status offense is an act that would be completely legal if committed by an adult, but illegal because it is committed by a juvenile. Examples of status offenses are:
- Purchasing, possessing, or consuming alcoholic beverages
- Purchasing tobacco products, namely cigarettes
- Violating curfews set in place by local ordinances
- Blatantly failing to attend school, otherwise known as truancy
- Running away from home
In many cases, status offenses don't necessarily represent marked criminal behavior, but are more or less indicative of personal struggles that the juvenile may be going through. Furthermore, impressionable juveniles may simply be allowing peer pressure to dictate the decisions they are making. In any event, the greater problem at hand here is not the status offense, but the catalyst for the status offense, which is often hardly indicative of tendencies to act in a criminal manner, and more demonstrative of perhaps a rough home life or some other type of dysfunction in the juvenile's life. Or, in some cases, juveniles may simply be misguided, assuming that status offenses, such as drinking or smoking, are perceived by others to be "cool" and acceptable behavior. Again, peer pressure plays a significant role in the actions taken by juveniles, and it should be wholly considered by the Colorado juvenile court system during all hearings.
In 2004, status offense arrests resulted in almost one-fifth of all juvenile arrests made across the country, which translated to more than 400,000 juveniles being arrested. Though these figures certainly fluctuate from year to year, the numbers are still far too high, particularly given the fact that many juveniles act out of haste, not taking into account the consequences of their actions, or not even realizing what those consequences truly are.
At The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., Colorado Springs juvenile defense attorney Timothy Bussey understands how vital it is that your child is given a chance to properly explain him or herself, and believes that all factors that contributed towards the status offense being committed need to be carefully examined. If your child has been arrested for a status offense, it would be beneficial to you and your child to contact juvenile defense attorney Timothy Bussey. Call 719-475-2555 today for more information and a free consultation of your child's defense case.
Colorado Springs Juvenile Offenses lawyer Timothy Bussey at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. in Colorado represents clients in Colorado Springs and throughout El Paso County, including the cities of Fountain, Manitou Springs, and Monument.
The Bussey Law Firm, P.C.
12 E. Boulder Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 475-2555
Fax: (719) 475-0046
