 ■ Juvenile Assault in Colorado
Colorado Springs Criminal Defense Attorney Sarah Christensen
Due to their immaturity, young people often have difficulty controlling their impulses and as a result, tend to use poor judgment in the heat of the moment. A fight at a party, shoving someone during a sporting event, or even fooling around with friends can lead to a juvenile assault charge. Sometimes the assault is provoked and in some situations, the assault is actually self-defense. Unfortunately, a juvenile assault charge can cause serious long-term consequences, including juvenile detention or prison time. Sadly, statistics show that juveniles convicted of assault are likely to become repeat offenders. Therefore, the State of Colorado aggressively prosecutes juveniles charged with assault. In order to protect your child’s future, you should hire a Colorado juvenile assault defense attorney.
When a person intentionally or recklessly causes or threatens to cause bodily harm to another person, he or she may face assault or juvenile delinquency charges. In Colorado, a juvenile is someone under the age of 18. In most situations, juveniles accused of assault will be treated differently than adults. The Colorado juvenile court has jurisdiction over juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17. However, in situations involving serious felonies and violent crimes, juveniles as young as 12 can be transferred to the district court where they can be tried and sentenced as an adult according to Colorado Revised Statute 19-2-518. The juvenile’s age, prior history, and the nature of the crime are taken into consideration when determining which court will have jurisdiction in a Colorado juvenile assault case.
An assault can be treated as a misdemeanor or a felony depending upon many factors including the severity of bodily harm suffered by the victim and whether a weapon was used in the assault. If the assault is treated as a felony, the penalties will be more severe. Possible penalties a juvenile may face for assault include:
- Attendance at a treatment, educational, and/or counseling program
- Mandatory community service hours
- Large fines
- Probation and/or house arrest
- Sentencing to a juvenile detention center (or if convicted as an adult, jail or prison)
A juvenile delinquency or assault conviction can result in a criminal history, making it difficult to get into college, obtain a job, or qualify for credit in the future. Experienced Colorado criminal defense attorney, Sarah Christensen, can help protect your child from false charges, unfair convictions or sentences, and work to keep your child’s case in the Colorado juvenile court system. In many situations, skilled juvenile assault defense attorney, Sarah Christensen, can negotiate a reduced sentence such as counseling, probation, or a deferred sentence. Call today for a FREE CONSULTATION.
Call today for a free phone consultation: (719) 634-7770
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