Police questioning is routine in Washington, but it can be overwhelming and scary in the moment -- especially when that questioning involves a minor. This is partly because minors are not always aware of what rights they have when in police custody or being...
Juvenile offenses
Will my child’s legal problems keep them from attending college?
Your teenager’s trajectory may differ from the one you had set them on. Bright and talented, you likely expected that they would be college-bound. Yet, they may have experienced challenges that have prevented them from thriving in the way you had hoped. If your...
Probation violations are rarely violent offenses
For juvenile offenders who have been sentenced to detention centers, finding a way to regain some sense of freedom is often a priority. However, probation usually comes with strict terms, any violation of which may send a minor back into detention. According to...
Are all juvenile offenders treated the same?
The juvenile justice system should treat all youth equally and fairly. However, there are actually a number of factors that influence how juvenile offenders are treated in Washington. The outcome of a teenager’s experience with the justice system often comes down to...
Undercounting Hispanic and Latino juvenile offenders
The juvenile justice system is supposed to treat all youthful offenders equally, but this is sadly not always the case. Hispanic and Latino juvenile offenders face higher rates of court-ordered placement and are detained twice as much as their white peers. The exact...
Could your child face adult criminal charges?
Most children charged with a crime before their 18th birthday will find themselves in juvenile court. However, in some specific cases, the court may charge a child as an adult, and that child will face more severe penalties if the court finds them guilty. Could...
What is a juvenile waiver?
Parents of teens who have been arrested generally expect their children to face charges as juveniles. However, it is possible that a judge may decide that a Washington teenager should be tried as an adult if he or she is accused of committing a more serious offense....
Is it time for youth prisons to close?
Sending Washington teenage offenders to juvenile detention facilities is a long standing practice, but not necessarily an effective one. Data and research indicate that youth prisons actually have the opposite of the intended effect. Here is why some advocacy groups,...
Alleged teenage offenders arrested for fire
Mistakes and lapses in judgments are important learning opportunities for teenagers on the path to adulthood. For many Washington teens, those mistakes have little effect on their futures. Unfortunately, others are not so fortunate and face charges as teenage...
The connection between mental health issues and juvenile crime
In the past, we might have said that minors who get arrested and put into the King County juvenile justice system are "bad" and need to be "taught a lesson" to control their behavior. Today, we know that research has shown the truth: the vast majority of minors who...

