Are parents responsible for the criminal acts of their juvenile children? The short answer is yes. C.R.S. 19-2-919 of the Colorado Children’s Code gives authority to judges and magistrates in juvenile courts to impose restitution against parents or guardians in Jefferson and Arapahoe County. The good news for parents of teens is that the amount is capped. The bad news is that the cap is a whopping twenty-five thousand dollars for any one delinquent act! If an Aurora parent has uncontrollable teens in the home, they can create a big unexpected expense.
What Can a Juvenile Court Judge Require of Parents in Douglas County?
Beyond restitution, parents and guardians may also be responsible to attend parental training, perform services for the victim(s), and contribute to the rehabilitation of the juvenile. A Juvenile court is permitted to hold a parent in contempt if he or she does not comply with a court order, but it is not permitted to sentence a parent to jail as part of the juvenile’s sentence.
The Purpose of the Colorado Children’s Code
Under Title 19 Article 2 of the Colorado Children’s Code, lawmakers incorporated a declaration of their intention for the Juvenile justice system. Their intention is to protect, restore, and improve public safety by creating a system of Juvenile justice that will appropriately sanction juveniles who violate the law and, in certain cases, will also provide the opportunity to bring together affected victims, the community, and juvenile offenders for restorative purposes. While the Colorado state legislature declares that public safety is most important, they also believe the Juvenile justice system must consider the best interests of the juvenile, the victim and the community.
Remain Silent and Get Help
Parents in Denver and Adams County may feel intimidated by the Juvenile justice system especially when judges and magistrates over extend their legal authority and forget to consider the best interests of your child. It is not an easy task to balance the interests of all the involved parties, but most Juvenile courts do a good job in treating people fairly. However, with you and your child’s future at stake, we recommend having someone on your side that understands the law better than the prosecutor. Even low level juvenile adjudications can impact your son’s or daughter’s opportunity to serve in the military and other kinds of employment. It isn’t worth the risk to do it alone.
If your child is under investigation for a criminal offense in Yuma or Douglas County, or anywhere in Colorado, our first advice is always the same, do not talk with authorities. Your children should be instructed to respectfully decline making statements. Then call us. We will provide a free consultation so you can determine if we are right for you. Be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call us at 303-731-0719. Together we can protect your future.