A minor who is taken into custody in Florida might be sent to a juvenile assessment center (JAC). One of the key benefits of a JAC is that a police officer does not have to wait for a parent or guardian to pick the minor up. Instead, the minor can be processed and the officer can go back to patrolling the streets. However, there are times in which a minor is not accepted into a JAC.
For instance, that person may have been suicidal, intoxicated or otherwise had a medical issue that cannot be treated at the center. While at a JAC, a teen may have access to a variety of services such as drug screenings or interventions. Furthermore, minors may be given information about services that may exist independent of the JAC that could help reduce their likelihood of committing crimes in the future.
If a minor completes a treatment program, it may play a role in determining his or her sentence. At a minimum, completing such a program may provide the skills needed to learn from past mistakes. Despite the positive attributes of JACs, they are often vulnerable to budget cuts. To ensure proper funding, it costs $100 to have a child transferred and admitted to one such facility.
If a person has juvenile charges on his or her record, it may make it harder to get work in the future. It may also be harder to get into school or qualify for financial assistance to pursue an education. Therefore, it may be worthwhile for family members to seek out the help of an attorney This may help an individual get the charge dismissed or expunged, which means that it won’t show up in future searches.
