The Juvenile Criminal Court has some significant differences from the adult Criminal Court. In juvenile cases there is an emphasis placed on protecting the privacy of a child. We don't publicize cases that involve juveniles. We are committed to keeping juvenile defendants anonymous by not releasing their cases and closing the doors to the public. The doors to the courtroom are closed to the public and few other than officers of the court and witnesses attend any portion of a juvenile trial. This privacy is understandable and serves the purpose of protecting the child. However, sometimes this emphasis on privacy works against the child. when the child is not afforded a public trial they are not afforded the protection of public scrutiny of the process to which they are subjected. This prevents them from having a jury. The right to a jury is a significant protection granted by the 7th Amendment and the Constitution of Alabama.
Juvenile defendants are also subjected to different procedures with regard to the bedrock principle of being viewed as "innocent until proven guilty." If a juvenile is taken into custody they are entitled to have a hearing within 72 hours to determine whether or not they pose a threat to themselves or others. However, bond is not set. They cannot bond out at any cost. They can be held indefinitely even though they have not been proven guilty.
Juveniles are also denied other rights granted to adults under the Constitution. The purpose of this narrative is not to list every defect in the law but to acquaint the public with the risks that are present due to a hyper sensitivity to privacy even to the detriment of fundamental rights. Feel free to comment below. All comments will be reviewed for spam. Differing viewpoints are welcome, but only relevant posts will be allowed.
Juvenile defendants are also subjected to different procedures with regard to the bedrock principle of being viewed as "innocent until proven guilty." If a juvenile is taken into custody they are entitled to have a hearing within 72 hours to determine whether or not they pose a threat to themselves or others. However, bond is not set. They cannot bond out at any cost. They can be held indefinitely even though they have not been proven guilty.
Juveniles are also denied other rights granted to adults under the Constitution. The purpose of this narrative is not to list every defect in the law but to acquaint the public with the risks that are present due to a hyper sensitivity to privacy even to the detriment of fundamental rights. Feel free to comment below. All comments will be reviewed for spam. Differing viewpoints are welcome, but only relevant posts will be allowed.
RSS Feed