When a youth is charged with a crime their legal matter may be handled in the juvenile justice system of New York or, if the alleged crime is very serious, the matter may be transferred to the adult criminal court system. In either case, a child may suffer long-term consequences if their arrest turns into a conviction. These consequences are sometimes called collateral consequences and this post will address some of the possible collateral consequences that juveniles may suffer if they are convicted before adulthood.
One of the most significant collateral consequences that a child may face as they age is the unsealing of their juvenile record. It was once the practice to seal any and all juvenile records that a child may have accrued but now it is more common for those criminal records to be opened. This can affect a child’s later chances of employment and other opportunities if they acquired a criminal record during their early years.
Additionally, a child with a juvenile criminal conviction on their record may, if arrested and convicted as an adult, suffer heavier sentencing for the subsequent alleged crime. Though juvenile records are often believed to be irrelevant to alleged adult criminal conduct they can cause individuals to face more significant sentencing later in life.
The collateral consequences discussed in this post are just a few of the many ways that juvenile convictions can impact a child’s later life. A strong criminal defense strategy to alleged juvenile criminal act is a good way for a person to address their pending legal troubles as well as prevent them from becoming collateral issues as they age into adulthood.