When teenagers or young college students break the law, parents are often very surprised. Not only are they concerned about the young person’s future, but they don’t understand why their child would break the law in the first place. This isn’t something that they ever expected to deal with.
In many cases, the answer is peer pressure. The families of those who have been arrested will sometimes note that they really “wanted to fit in.” It was important to them to feel like they were part of the group or that they were accepted by their friends or classmates. Even if they know that what they’re doing is illegal and could have a serious impact on their future, they will still take the risk because of the effects of peer pressure.
Underage drinking
One example of this is underage drinking, something that many people do in high school or college. But if they were simply out on their own at home, they may have no inclination to drink alcohol while they’re under 21. It’s only because they’re in a dorm room or an apartment with a group of people who are all consuming alcohol, and they want to fit into the group, so they decide to drink along with everyone else.
But it’s certainly not just underage drinking. A teenager may shoplift because they were dared to, for instance. Peer pressure sometimes leads to car theft. It could even lead to illegal drug usage.
Exploring defense options
For both parents and young people, it’s very important to understand what defense options there are when facing such serious charges. These could impact a young person’s future, including educational and employment opportunities.
