when police interrogate juveniles their parents or lawyer do not need to be present.

by Marilou Kuvalis 6 min read

And while parents may be willing to do nearly anything to protect their children, police do not necessarily have to allow parents to be present during an interrogation. The best thing a parent can do for a child facing a police investigation or criminal charges is hire a qualified juvenile justice attorney.

Full Answer

Should parents be present during a police interrogation?

And while parents may be willing to do nearly anything to protect their children, police do not necessarily have to allow parents to be present during an interrogation. The best thing a parent can do for a child facing a police investigation or criminal charges is hire a qualified juvenile justice attorney.

Should juveniles have attorneys during police questioning?

Accordingly, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry believes that juveniles should have an attorney present during questioning by police or other law enforcement agencies.

Can a juvenile be questioned without a parent present?

But, as noted above, a juvenile interrogation must be voluntary. If a child asks to have a parent present and the request is denied, a judge may decide the child’s participation was not voluntary. 7.

Do youth have a legal right to a lawyer during interrogation?

Any young person facing a police interrogation has the legal right to ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Youth have faced coercive police interrogation tactics for decades.

What did the police officer do when a minor put a gun in his house?

A police officer responded and accompanied the minor and school staff to where the gun was located. The police officer questioned the minor further as they searched for the gun. Once the minor made a clear statement about where he had put the gun, the officer read him his Miranda rights.

Why is the statement used against a minor at trial?

The minor confessed. That statement can be used against the minor at trial because the minor was not in custody when the officer questioned him.

What happens if a child is not in custody?

If your child is not in custody, the police can question them freely without advising them of their constitutional rights under Miranda and without having a lawyer present. If your child is in police custody. As of January 1, 2021, California Senate Bill 203 broadens the scope of Welfare ...

What is the scope of California law for 2021?

As of January 1, 2021, California Senate Bill 203 broadens the scope of Welfare and Institutions Code section 625.6. Prior to January 1 st, 2021, children aged 15 years or younger being held in police custody could not be questioned by police until after they consulted with legal counsel. The amended statute now applies ...

Why can school personnel question children?

Because school personnel are not restricted by constitutional concerns, they can question children freely. If their questions are prompted by a law enforcement officer, an argument can be made that 4 th amendment restrictions apply and the child’s statements should be excluded from evidence.

What was the crime of the 13 year old?

A 13-year-old was accused of battery, which is the unlawful use of force on another. A police officer went to the minor’s home to question him. When the officer entered the house, the minor got scared and tried to run down the hallway. The officer physically stopped him from leaving the room and made him sit down.

What was the charge against a 15 year old?

A 15-year-old was charged with bringing a weapon onto school grounds. The school staff pulled the minor into the office for questioning. The minor told the school staff that he brought a gun to school and could show them where it was.

Should police interview juveniles?

In general, it is not sufficient to simply read or recite information to a juvenile.

Should juvenile suspects be video recorded?

Finally, the Academy recommends that all interviews of juvenile suspects should be video recorded. The ability to review such a permanent record is integral to the subsequent assessment of the juvenile, his or her comprehension of the Miranda warnings, and the nature, setting and circumstances of the interrogation.

Should police use Miranda warnings?

For this reason, the Academy recommends that police and other law enforcement authorities should utilize simplified Miranda warnings developed specifically for use with juvenile suspects.5 Ideally, an attorney should be present when Miranda Warnings are administered to juvenile suspects.

Why did the Supreme Court deny the request to throw out the boy's statements to the police?

The Supreme Court held that it was improper to deny the request to throw out the boy's statements to the police because he didn't receive proper Miranda warnings. The Court reasoned that because of their relative immaturity and lack of experience, children "cannot be viewed simply as miniature adults."

What to do if you have been arrested for a juvenile?

If you or someone you love has been arrested for a juvenile justice offense, you'll want to understand if the laws regarding Miranda warnings for minors was followed. A good first step in the process is to speak with a criminal defense attorney who can review the facts of the case and be a legal advocate.

What happens if a reasonable person feels unrestricted?

If a reasonable person would feel unrestricted in the scenario, then they haven't been subjected to custody. If a reasonable person would not feel free to leave, then the police have placed the individual in custody and must notify them of their Miranda rights.

How old was the boy when he was arrested for burglary?

The case the Court ruled upon involved a 13 year-old boy possibly linked to two burglaries. A police officer went to his school, removed him from class and placed him in a conference room with the door closed and two school administrators present.

What is the phrase "you have the right to remain silent"?

Everyone knows the iconic phrase "you have the right to remain silent." It's usually the first thing that police tell someone when taking them into custody, and it makes up one of the several rights - commonly known as "Miranda rights" - that people have when in police custody.

When do police take age into account?

However, the Supreme Court expanded on the rules for minors when it decided that the police must take a person's age into account when determining whether the circumstances of a case merit a Miranda notification.

Do minors need Miranda?

Since minors' comprehension of their situation differs from that of adults, their understanding of when a questioning constitutes a custody will also differ. Minors may experience more compliance to authority, and therefore may require Miranda notifications in situations that wouldn't trigger the Miranda requirement for adults.

Which part of the brain is responsible for decision making in adolescence?

During adolescence, the reward-seeking part of the brain is highly active, while the frontal lobe, which governs measured decision-making, is still developing. A child’s decision to continue an interrogation without counsel or to confess in order to end an interrogation can have devastating consequences.

What is the problem with youth of color?

Although youth of all races commit offenses at roughly the same rates, Black, Latinx, and Native American youth are arrested at much higher rates than their white counterparts, and therefore are at particularly high risk of facing police interrogations and coercion.

What is the law regarding Miranda?

Miranda and the Adolescent Brain. The law requires courts to take age into account when deciding if a confession is voluntary. Police must also give Miranda warnings any time a “reasonable child” would not feel free to end an interrogation and leave.