|
Juvenile Justice System
Arrest
|
||
| When a person under the age of 18 is charged with a crime in Florida, the case is usually handled in the Juvenile Justice System. The Juvenile Justice System is different than the adult Criminal Justice System. This guide was developed to help parents and guardians with arrested youth and others who are interested in understanding how the judicial process typically works with youth in Lee County. |
|
|
| Arrest | ||
| When a youth comes into contact with a law enforcement officer due to suspected illegal activity, the law enforcement officer gathers the facts and makes a decision on whether there are good reasons to believe that the youth has committed a crime. If the officer decides that |
 |
|
| there is enough evidence to show that the youth committed a crime, the officer may “take the youth into custody.” When a youth is taken into custody the law enforcement officer takes temporary physical control of the youth. It is not the same as an arrest, but it is often called an “arrest.” | ||
| Civil Citation | ||
| For some minor crimes, a law enforcement officer has the option to issue a civil citation instead of “arresting” the youth. The youth has to admit to the charge and must agree to participate in the civil citation program. If the youth agrees to participate, he/she is not arrested. The youth meets with a civil citation coordinator who will assign community service hours, a service learning project, and/or may require the youth to participate in other services. Once a youth completes his/her civil citation case plan he/she will have no arrest record and the case will be closed. If the youth does not successfully complete his/her case plan, he/she will be arrested and the case will go through the court process. | ||