Parents are often very surprised to get a phone call telling them that their child has been arrested or charged with a crime. They are worried about the impact that juvenile crime can have on a person’s future. They are also surprised because their child has not been in trouble before. Many parents will maintain that their child must be innocent because “they never would have done that.”
While there are a variety of reasons for juvenile crime, and one thing to consider is peer pressure. Due to the influence of those around them, young people may act in a way that is very out of character, which is why their parents are so surprised to learn what they have allegedly done. It is not something the child would have done on their own.
Underage drinking
One example is underage drinking or even drug use. Teenagers in particular often want to fit in, and they are very concerned with social status.
For example, say that a college freshman goes to a party at an apartment complex off campus. They want to make new friends, and they are in a new environment. Everyone there is drinking or using other substances.
If they were at home, that same college student would have no desire to drink on their own. But in that social setting, wanting to fit in and make new friends, they may let themselves be pressured by people who offer them drinks. They may also feel that they need to drink to fit in with the general atmosphere, so there is an informal sort of peer pressure because they do not want to be marginalized or feel different from those around them.
Legal defense options
When people find themselves facing criminal charges, it is important to think about their future. Young people and their parents need to know about all of their legal defense options at this time.