Juvenile Crimes

Juvenile crimes in California refer to offenses committed by individuals under the age of 18 that are handled through the juvenile justice system rather than adult criminal courts. The juvenile system operates under the Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) rather than the Penal Code, and focuses on rehabilitation and treatment rather than punishment. When a minor is arrested, they’re typically charged with a delinquency petition rather than a criminal complaint, and proceedings take place in juvenile court where the goal is addressing the underlying issues that led to the offense while holding the minor accountable. California recognizes that children’s brains are still developing, they’re more susceptible to peer pressure, and they deserve opportunities to mature and change without being permanently labeled as criminals.

These charges are prosecuted because the juvenile justice system seeks to intervene early before youthful mistakes become patterns of criminal behavior. District attorneys file juvenile petitions when they believe court intervention is necessary for public safety or the minor’s rehabilitation. However, the system is supposed to be less adversarial than adult court, with judges considering the minor’s background, family situation, school performance, and potential for rehabilitation. Despite this rehabilitative focus, juveniles can face serious consequences including detention in juvenile hall, placement in group homes or camps, probation lasting until age 21, and in extreme cases, transfer to adult court where they face adult penalties.

Common circumstances leading to juvenile charges include school fights that result in assault allegations, shoplifting or theft from retail stores, underage drinking or marijuana possession, vandalism or graffiti, joyriding or unauthorized use of vehicles, cyberbullying or online harassment, truancy and school-related offenses, and drug possession or sales allegations. We’ve represented students accused of assault after school altercations where self-defense was involved, teenagers caught shoplifting who made impulsive decisions under peer pressure, minors charged with serious felonies based on exaggerated allegations, and young people who need treatment for substance abuse issues rather than punishment in the juvenile system.

Types of Juvenile Crime Charges We Defend

We handle all juvenile crime charges in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Lompoc:

Common Juvenile Offenses

• Juvenile Theft & Shoplifting (WIC 602) – Petitions alleging theft under $950 (petty theft) or over $950 (grand theft), commonly filed when minors shoplift from stores, steal from schools, or take property belonging to others, typically resulting in probation and restitution.
• Juvenile Assault & Battery (WIC 602) – Petitions alleging simple assault or battery from school fights, altercations with other minors, or physical confrontations, where context often matters more than in adult cases as courts consider peer pressure and developmental factors.
• Vandalism & Property Damage (WIC 602) – Petitions for graffiti, property destruction, or defacing property, commonly arising from tagging, school vandalism, or damage to vehicles or buildings, with penalties focused on restitution and community service.
• Underage Drinking & Alcohol Offenses (WIC 602) – Petitions for minor in possession (MIP), public intoxication, or providing alcohol to other minors, frequently arising from parties, beach gatherings, or vehicle stops, often resolved through alcohol education programs.
• Marijuana & Drug Possession (WIC 602) – Petitions alleging possession of marijuana (still illegal under 21), controlled substances, or drug paraphernalia, with increasing emphasis on treatment and education rather than punishment for first-time offenders.
• Truancy & School-Related Offenses – While truancy itself is handled differently, related charges like trespassing on school grounds, disruption, or violation of school rules can result in juvenile petitions, though diversion programs are common.

Serious Juvenile Felonies

• Juvenile Drug Sales & Distribution (WIC 602) – Petitions alleging sales or possession for sale of drugs, treated more seriously than simple possession, potentially resulting in juvenile detention, camp placement, or intensive probation supervision.
• Juvenile Robbery (WIC 602) – Taking property from another person through force or fear, a serious felony that can result in detention in juvenile hall or camp, and in extreme cases, potential transfer to adult court for older minors.
• Juvenile Burglary (WIC 602) – Entering a building or vehicle with intent to commit theft or felony, including residential burglaries that are treated as serious offenses even in juvenile court, with potential detention consequences.
• Assault with a Deadly Weapon (WIC 602) – Assault allegations involving weapons or resulting in serious injury, treated as serious offenses even for juveniles, with potential for juvenile detention, camp placement, or in rare cases, adult court transfer.
• Juvenile Sex Offenses (WIC 602) – Allegations of sexual assault, unlawful sexual intercourse, lewd acts, or child pornography possession, carrying severe consequences including potential sex offender registration and long-term probation.
• Gang-Related Offenses (WIC 602) – Charges alleging gang participation, gang enhancements, or crimes committed for the benefit of gangs, resulting in enhanced consequences and potential removal from the community to camp programs.

Related Juvenile Charges Often Filed Together

• Probation Violations (WIC 777) – Petitions alleging violations of juvenile probation conditions such as attending school, obeying curfew, staying away from certain people, or completing community service, potentially resulting in detention or increased restrictions.
• Runaway & Status Offenses (WIC 601) – Non-criminal behaviors like running away from home, truancy, or being beyond parental control, handled differently than delinquency but still involving court intervention and potential out-of-home placement.
• Possession of Weapons on School Grounds (WIC 602) – Bringing knives, firearms, or other weapons to school, resulting in both school expulsion proceedings and juvenile court petitions, with serious consequences even for first-time offenders.
• Joyriding & Vehicle Theft (WIC 602) – Unauthorized use of vehicles (including parents’ cars) or actual vehicle theft, often involving teenagers who take cars without permission, with consequences ranging from probation to detention.

Additional Juvenile Offenses

• Cyberbullying & Online Harassment (WIC 602) – Criminal threats, harassment, or bullying conducted through social media, text messages, or online platforms, increasingly common and taken seriously by courts and schools.
• Curfew Violations – Municipal ordinance violations for being out past curfew hours, typically handled through warnings or tickets but can escalate to juvenile petitions with repeated violations.
• Contributing to Delinquency of a Minor – While typically charged against adults, older minors (16-17) can face allegations of involving younger children in criminal activity.
• Underage DUI (VC 23136/23140) – Zero-tolerance DUI laws for minors, with any measurable alcohol (.01% or higher) resulting in license suspension and potential juvenile court involvement depending on BAC level and circumstances.

This list represents the most common juvenile crime charges we defend, but we handle all juvenile delinquency matters. If your child is facing charges not listed here, or you’re unsure what the petition alleges, we can help. Juvenile court procedures and terminology can be confusing, and understanding what your child is facing is the first step in protecting their future.

Call us at (805) 621-7181 to discuss your child’s specific charges and what options are available.

Consequences of Juvenile Adjudications

While juvenile court focuses on rehabilitation, adjudications (findings that the minor committed the offense) can result in:

• Juvenile detention – Time in juvenile hall ranging from days to months, typically reserved for serious offenses, repeated violations, or when the minor poses a safety risk, though most first-time offenders avoid detention with proper representation
• Camp placement – Court-ordered placement in juvenile camps or ranches operated by the probation department, typically lasting 6-12 months, for serious offenses or minors who need more structure than home placement provides
• Out-of-home placement – Court-ordered removal from the home to group homes, foster care, or residential treatment programs when the court determines the minor cannot safely remain at home, disrupting family life and education
• Juvenile probation – Supervised or unsupervised probation with conditions including regular check-ins with probation officers, maintaining school attendance, obeying curfew, avoiding certain people or places, random drug testing, community service, counseling, and restitution
• Loss of driving privileges – Automatic one-year driver’s license suspension or delay in eligibility for many juvenile offenses, significantly impacting teenagers’ independence and ability to get to school or work
• School consequences – Suspension or expulsion from school for certain offenses, particularly those involving weapons, drugs, or violence, making it harder for minors to stay on track academically
• Gang injunctions and restrictions – Court orders prohibiting association with gang members, wearing certain colors, or being in specific areas, severely restricting minors’ daily activities
• Sex offender registration – For qualifying sex offenses, minors may be required to register as sex offenders, though California has tiered registration that allows termination after specified periods for juvenile offenders
• Transfer to adult court – For serious felonies committed by minors 14 or older, prosecutors can file motions to transfer the case to adult court (called “fitness hearings”), where the minor faces adult penalties including state prison
• Psychological and emotional impact – Court involvement, detention, and separation from family create trauma, anxiety, and behavioral issues that can affect development and mental health
• Educational setbacks – Missing school due to detention, court appearances, or program requirements creates academic gaps that are difficult to overcome, risking graduation and college prospects
• Permanent juvenile record – While juvenile records are not public and can be sealed at age 18 under certain circumstances, they exist and can be accessed by prosecutors if the minor is arrested again, and affect future opportunities before sealing

The Juvenile Court Process

Understanding how juvenile court differs from adult court:

Arrest and Detention Hearing

When a minor is arrested, they’re typically taken to juvenile hall where a detention hearing must be held within 48-72 hours. At this hearing, the judge decides whether to release the minor to parents or keep them detained until the next court date. The judge considers the offense severity, the minor’s history, family stability, and public safety. We represent minors at detention hearings to argue for release to parents rather than juvenile hall.

Jurisdictional Hearing (Trial)

Similar to a trial in adult court, but called a “jurisdictional hearing” where the judge (not a jury) determines whether the allegations in the petition are true. The minor has the right to an attorney, to present evidence, and to cross-examine witnesses. If the judge finds the allegations true, the minor is “adjudicated” (found to have committed the offense).

Dispositional Hearing (Sentencing)

If allegations are found true, a dispositional hearing determines consequences. The probation department prepares a report with recommendations, and the judge decides on probation conditions, detention time, camp placement, treatment programs, or other interventions. We advocate for the least restrictive disposition that addresses the minor’s needs without unnecessary incarceration.

Diversion and Informal Supervision

California encourages diversion programs that keep minors out of formal court proceedings. Options include informal supervision (sometimes called “654 programs”), where the minor completes conditions without a formal petition being filed, and deferred entry of judgment for certain offenses. We work to get cases resolved through diversion whenever possible, avoiding formal adjudication.

Record Sealing

Once a minor turns 18 and completes probation satisfactorily, juvenile records can be sealed under WIC 781, making them confidential and allowing the minor to legally state they were never arrested. We help clients seal records when eligible, ensuring juvenile mistakes don’t affect adult opportunities.

Why You Need an Attorney for Juvenile Cases

The Stakes Are Your Child’s Future

Juvenile court proceedings determine whether your child gets a second chance or faces consequences that follow them into adulthood. Detention means missing school, losing connections with positive peers, and exposure to more troubled youth. Camp placement removes children from families for months. Probation violations can escalate quickly into detention. And in serious cases, transfer to adult court means your child faces prison rather than juvenile rehabilitation programs. Having an attorney who understands the juvenile system and fights for your child’s future rather than just processing paperwork through the system makes the difference between outcomes that help versus outcomes that harm.

Parents Can’t Navigate This Alone

The juvenile justice system has its own procedures, terminology, and rules that differ significantly from adult court. Jurisdictional hearings versus trials, dispositional hearings versus sentencing, WIC petitions versus criminal complaints—even the language is different. Probation officers wield enormous influence over judges’ decisions. Social workers prepare reports that shape outcomes. Schools coordinate with courts in ways that affect educational placement. Understanding how all these systems interact, knowing which judges favor rehabilitation over punishment, and having relationships with probation officers and prosecutors who handle juvenile cases requires experience that parents don’t have and can’t get in time to help their child.

Every Case Deserves Individual Defense

Prosecutors and probation departments often treat juvenile cases as assembly-line processing—standard recommendations, cookie-cutter dispositions, and minimal individualization. But every child is different. Some need substance abuse treatment. Others need mental health support. Some thrive with intensive supervision while others do better with minimal intervention. Understanding your child’s specific needs, presenting them effectively to the court, and advocating for individualized dispositions rather than standard formulas requires someone who sees your child as a person with potential, not just another case number.

Experience Matters

We’ve defended juvenile cases in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Lompoc juvenile courts for over 15 years. We know the juvenile court judges, their philosophies, and what arguments resonate. We know the probation officers who prepare reports and make recommendations. We understand which schools are receptive to keeping minors enrolled despite charges and which ones push for expulsion. We know the treatment programs that actually work versus those that just check boxes. That local knowledge, combined with genuine concern for helping young people rather than just processing cases, gives your child the best chance at moving forward rather than getting stuck in the system.

How Central Coast Criminal Defense Can Help

Helping families in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Lompoc navigate juvenile court since 2010, we provide:

• Immediate Detention Hearing Representation – We appear at detention hearings within 48 hours of arrest to argue for your child’s release to parents rather than remaining in juvenile hall, presenting family support, school ties, and lack of flight risk to secure release while the case proceeds.
• Comprehensive Case Investigation – We interview witnesses including teachers, coaches, and friends who can provide context about your child’s character and the incident, obtain school records showing positive performance and behavior, gather evidence of self-defense, false accusations, or exaggerated allegations, and identify mental health or substance abuse issues that need treatment rather than punishment.
• Strategic Defense Development – We challenge weak evidence and unreliable witness testimony, present defenses including self-defense, lack of intent, or mistaken identity, negotiate with probation officers about their recommendations before reports are finalized, and advocate for diversion programs that avoid formal adjudication when appropriate.
• Dispositional Advocacy – We prepare comprehensive dispositional reports presenting your child in the best light, gather character letters from teachers, coaches, counselors, and community members, identify appropriate treatment programs and educational placements, argue for the least restrictive disposition that addresses needs without unnecessary detention, and present rehabilitation plans that judges respond to positively.
• Personal Guidance for Families – You work directly with attorneys who understand the fear and stress parents experience when their child is arrested, and we’re available to explain the juvenile court process, answer questions about what to expect, help you understand probation conditions and court orders, and support your family through every stage of the proceedings.

We understand that parents of juveniles in the criminal justice system are often experiencing their worst nightmare—their child arrested, facing detention, potentially being expelled from school, and at risk of consequences that could derail their future. We’ve represented honor students who made one bad decision, athletes accused of assault in sports-related altercations, teenagers struggling with substance abuse who need treatment not punishment, and young people caught up in situations they didn’t fully understand.

Our approach focuses on understanding your child as an individual, not just a case file. What are their strengths? What support systems do they have? What underlying issues contributed to this offense? What interventions will actually help them versus just impose consequences? We work with families to develop comprehensive plans that courts respond to—therapy, counseling, mentoring, educational support, or whatever your child actually needs.

Juvenile charges don’t have to define your child’s future. Between diversion programs, effective defense strategies, advocating for rehabilitation over punishment, and eventually sealing records, there are paths forward that protect what matters most—giving your child the opportunity to learn from mistakes, mature, and move forward without being permanently labeled. We’ve helped countless families navigate juvenile court and seen young people succeed despite early mistakes. Whether your child is facing theft charges, assault allegations, drug offenses, or serious felonies, we’re here to protect their future.

Don’t Wait—Call Us Today

Time matters in juvenile cases, particularly if your child is detained in juvenile hall and a detention hearing is approaching, or if diversion opportunities exist that require quick action. Understanding your options early helps protect your child’s interests.

We’ll review the allegations, explain the juvenile court process, discuss realistic outcomes, and develop a strategy to protect your child’s future while holding them appropriately accountable.

Your child made a mistake. That doesn’t have to define their life. Let’s protect their future together.