Juvenile Court/ Trials and Evidence

A 12-year-old boy was
caught in the act of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female acquaintance by
the victim’s 16-year-old brother, who had arrived home and observed the
juveniles in the act. The 12-year-old juvenile suspect, in addition to sexually
assaulting the victim, had beaten her with the heel of a shoe that was nearby.
The victim was almost unconscious when the police arrived.
Following the
incident, the juvenile was arrested and detained by local police on the
following charges:
·
Attempted sexual
assault of a minor
·
Aggravated assault
·
Minor in possession of
an alcoholic beverage
·
Unlawful possession of
a controlled substance (marijuana)
The juvenile suspect
was a latchkey kid, a child who returns from school to an empty home, from a
single-parent home. His mother works from 2 p.m–11 p.m. Monday through
Friday, so the juvenile is often alone for hours upon his return from school.
After a preliminary
examination, the juvenile suspect explained that the victim purchased the
marijuana and the alcohol earlier that same day. The juvenile explained that
the victim had invited him to her house because they had “been liking each
other” for a long time. Further, the juvenile explained that the alcohol
and drugs were in the home when he arrived. He said that he and the victim
began by smoking marijuana and drinking beer before they began kissing and
fondling one another. Next, according to the juvenile suspect, they started to
have what he described as consensual sex. After a short while they were
interrupted by the victim’s brother, who had come home from work. The victim’s
brother then called the police to report the incident.
The juvenile had prior
detentions for violation of curfew, truancy, and attempted sexual battery. No
further explanations are given.
Assignment:
Write an essay from
the perspective of the police officer, the state’s attorney, and the judge. Do
each of these components of the criminal justice system see the offender as a
status offender for any of the charges? Discuss your opinion of the status
offender from the perspective of each criminal justice component (law
enforcement, states attorney, and the judge). Are the charges viewed by each of
the criminal justice components listed below as delinquent acts?
1.
From the perspective of the police officer
o
What typically happens
to this juvenile before he even goes to juvenile court? How does law
enforcement process the incident?
2.
From the perspective of the state’s attorney
o
Make suggestions to
the court on how the boy should be punished/sentenced.
3.
From the perspective of the judge
o
Based on the facts of
the case and the procedures of the juvenile justice system, what would be the
most appropriate finding for the court? What options does the judge have in
this incident?
Be sure to cite all references in APA format.