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Pages:
3 pages/≈825 words
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2 Sources
Style:
APA
Subject:
Law
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 12.96
Topic:

Police Officer’s Perspective

Essay Instructions:

Assignment Details
A 12-year-old boy was caught in the act of battering a 14-year-old female acquaintance by the victim's 16-year-old brother. The brother arrived home, saw his sister on the floor, and observed the 12-year old boy standing over her with his fist raised in the air. The 16-year old brother observed that his sister was not moving. He also saw a shoe with a bloody heel near her on the floor. The victim was almost unconscious when the police arrived.
Following the incident, the juvenile was arrested and detained by local police on the following charges:
Battery of a minor
Aggravated battery with a weapon
Minor in possession of an alcoholic beverage
Unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana)
The juvenile suspect was a latchkey kid (a child who returns from school to an empty home) from a single-parent home. His mother works from 2 p.m.–11 p.m. Monday through Friday, so the juvenile is often alone and unsupervised for several hours upon his return from school.
After a preliminary investigation, the juvenile suspect explained that the victim purchased the marijuana and the alcohol earlier that same day. The juvenile explained that the victim had invited him to her house because they had "been liking each other" for a long time. Further, the juvenile explained that the alcohol and drugs were in the home when he arrived. He said that he and the victim began by smoking marijuana and drinking beer before they began kissing and touching one another. Next, according to the juvenile suspect, they started to have what he described as consensual sex. After a short while, they were interrupted by the victim's brother, who had come home from work. The victim’s brother then called the police to report the incident.
The juvenile had prior detentions for violation of curfew, truancy, and attempted sexual battery. No further explanations are given.
Write an essay of 750–800 words, divided into 3 sections:
The perspective of the police officer
What typically happens to this juvenile before he goes to juvenile court? How does law enforcement process the incident?
The perspective of the state's attorney
If you were the state's attorney, what would you suggest to the court regarding how the boy should be punished, sentenced, rehabilitated, or any combination of these options?
The perspective of the judge
Based on the facts of the case and the procedures of the juvenile justice system, what would be the most appropriate finding of the court? What options does the judge have in this incident?
Make sure that your essay addresses the following:
Do each of these components of the criminal justice system see the offender as a status offender for any of the charges?
Discuss your opinion of the status offender from the perspective of each criminal justice component (law enforcement, state's attorney, and the judge).
Are the charges viewed by each of the criminal justice components listed below as delinquent acts?

Essay Sample Content Preview:
Police Officer’s Perspective
The police officer handling this case can treat the juvenile offender as a status offender based on several factors. To begin with, the offender is a twelve-year-old boy and is, therefore, a juvenile. Secondly, the nature of the offenses the young boy is supposed to have committed falls under state offenses. Thirdly, the boy’s behavior most probably signifies an underlying familial issue. The police officer may intuitively theorize so from the fact that the boy often returns home from school to an empty home. As such, the officer is subject to handling the offender as a neglected dependent (OJJDP, 2015). Those factors suffice to address the boy as a state offender.
Before arraigning the juvenile in court, he will undergo several processes. The first step of the process is arresting the minor. After that, the arresting officer has the discretion to release the minor to the parent's custody. On the other hand, the officer may decide to take the offender to a juvenile detention facility (Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center, 2022). In this case, the officer will have to commit the boy to a detention facility, given that his parent is hardly ever at home. Since juveniles do not enjoy the privilege of bail, the boy will remain there until relevant entities agree upon an appropriate decision. For instance, probation officers or attorneys will decide whether the case requires the court's attention (LibreTexts, 2021). If they resolve, on the contrary, the boy's case will then be handled informally, either through diversion to probation or a treatment program.
The perspective of the State Attorney
Similar to the police officer’s perspective, as the attorney, I would have to handle the boy as a state offender. I would predicate my decision on the nature of the offenses the boy is supposed to have committed. In addition, I would handle the case as juvenile delinquency since the offender is under the age of 18. As per the law, being the attorney would give me the jurisdiction to decide whether the case should proceed to the juvenile court or be handled informally (LibreTexts, 2021). In this case, and in the light of the facts provided, the most plausible decision would be to refer the case to a juvenile court. The decision will draw its strength on the fact that the suspect is a repeat offender. His records indicate that he has previously been a detainee for minor offenses and now a slightly more grave offense. Furthermore, the report will inform me adequately that the nature of the boy’s misdemeanors is progressively worsening with age. As such, if not dealt with conclusively, he may transition into serious crimes such as felony. Even though the fundamental aim of the juvenile system is not to be punitive, some unique cases like this require an elevated sense of seriousness. Ideally, only a judge can assert such gravity.
After deciding to take the offender...
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