Write a 700-Word Journal Entry from the Perspective of Your Selected Juvenile offender.

Answer 1

Charges on Coleen:

Colleen has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. This is also called as second degree manslaughter, with the first degree manslaughter being voluntary. Involuntary manslaughter is a criminal offence which is the lowest form of homicide. It can attract penalty from a few hours of community service and a criminal fine to imprisonment for a period of 5 to 10 years. This is decided by the juvenile intake officer and prosecutor based on the information and evidence available.

Preliminary Process:

In case of a juvenile is charged for involuntary manslaughter, a law enforcement officer will arrest the offender. Law requires the officer to detain the offender in an adult penitentiary. The offender is to be kept away from the sight of adult inmates and is to be released within 6 hours. During this time the officer must contact the juvenile’s parents or guardians.

Deciding whether to go for a Formal or Informal Hearing:

An intake officer of the juvenile court will decide whether to dismiss the case of formally hear it. In order to make this decision the officer will study all angles of the case. If sufficient information and evidence is available regarding the case, it will be heard formally or else the case will be dropped. Usually the entire process of deciding whether to go in for a formal hearing or not is done within 24 hour period.

In case juvenile is declared Delinquent:

When an offender is declared delinquent by the court, the prosecutor listens to all witnesses and analyses all facts in a formal hearing before making a decision regarding the juvenile. The probation officer and prosecutor are allowed to propose a disposition plan for the offender. Even the juvenile is allowed to propose strategies for the disposition plan. Since Coleen has been declared delinquent by the court, she will mostly be penalized with weekend confinement, strict curfew or residential placement.

Answer 2

Coleen’s Background:

Coleen is a 15 year old girl who comes from a background where both her parents have been unavailable to care for her during her childhood. Her father abandoned her family soon after birth and her mother is in a Drug Rehabilitation center. She has been raised and brought up by her aunt. In the past an offence has been registered against Coleen for drug abuse. But similar to the situation at hand today, she was a victim of her circumstance back then too.

The Neighbor:

Coleen lived in an open farm along with her aunt since childhood. History shows that her neighbor does not get along well with Coleen and hasalso had many prior disputes with Coleen regarding her dog. She has even threatened to take sever action against Coleen and her Dog. Clearly she was a very violent person.