Posted: January 12th, 2024

Juvenile Justice: A Status Offense Case Study

Juvenile Justice: While on routine patrol for the Anytown Police Department, you notice a group of what appears to be three underage male teens and one female teen standing along the outside wall of a local convenience store in a poorly lit area. Because it is 1 a.m. in the morning on a Friday, a violation of the city curfew ordinance, you investigate. When you turn into the driveway of the convenience store, your patrol car headlights illuminate the group of four teens. You notice a cigarette in the hand of the lone female of the group. It appears to you that two of the males are holding beer cans. After asking for identification, you began your investigation. It is at this point you realize that several decisions will need to be made regarding the underage youths.

In an APA-formatted paper of 650–800 words, discuss the following:

In a list that you make in your report, specifically identify the status offense laws that are being violated by each of the underage teens.
Identify how you are going to process each of the underage teen violators at the scene. Explain in detail why you made the decision to handle the status offenses in that specific manner.
Describe how you would handle any of the teen-status offense violators who is being uncooperative at the scene. How would this affect your decision on how to handle this status offense case?
If you have one or more uncooperative parents who refuse to come to the scene and pick up their child, would this affect your decision on how you handle the case, and if so, what would you then do with the teen?\

Status Offense Laws Being Violated
The underage teens in this scenario are violating several status offense laws:
Curfew violation. Based on the details provided, it is 1:00 am on a Friday night in Anytown. The city has a curfew ordinance that prohibits minors from being out past a certain time, likely 10 or 11 pm on a weekday. All four teens would be in violation of this curfew law.
Possession of tobacco by a minor. The lone female teen has a cigarette in her hand, indicating she is in possession of and possibly using tobacco. Most states prohibit possession or use of tobacco products by anyone under the age of 18 or 21 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).
Possession/consumption of alcohol by a minor. Two of the male teens are holding beer cans, suggesting they are in possession of and possibly consuming alcohol. The legal drinking age in the United States is 21, so all teens would be violating underage alcohol possession/consumption laws (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2023).
Processing the Teen Violators
Given the multiple status offense violations occurring, I would process each teen as follows:
Curfew violation: Issue a written warning to each teen informing them of the curfew ordinance and consequences for future violations. Written warnings allow for documentation if issues reoccur.
Possession of tobacco: Confiscate the cigarette from the female teen and issue a written citation. Most jurisdictions allow for fines for first-time possession offenses (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).
Possession/consumption of alcohol: Confiscate any open containers of alcohol and issue a written citation to the two males holding beer cans. First offenses often result in fines, alcohol awareness classes, or community service (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2023).
Handling an Uncooperative Teen
If any of the teens became uncooperative during processing, I would handle it as follows:
Remain calm and professional in all interactions. Raising my voice or becoming confrontational could escalate the situation.
Clearly explain the violations and consequences again while giving the teen a chance to comply. Unfamiliarity with the law is common at this age.
If noncompliance continues, I would notify dispatch and request backup. Safety is the top priority when dealing with an uncooperative individual.
With backup present, we could safely detain and transport the teen to the police station for processing if needed. This protects all involved.
Document all behaviors and actions thoroughly in my report for the District Attorney’s office. Uncooperativeness could result in additional charges like obstruction.
Handling an Uncooperative Parent
If a parent refused to respond to the scene to pick up their child, it would affect my handling of the case. I would contact child protective services and request they respond in the parent’s place. The teen would need to be released to a legal guardian, so CPS could assume that role if needed.
I would also note the uncooperative parent behavior in my report. Failure to ensure their child’s safe release home could result in a neglect investigation by CPS. The teen may also need to be referred to a diversion program for follow up.
In summary, the key goals in handling these status offense situations are safety, documentation, and linking teens to resources to prevent future issues. Remaining calm, following proper procedures, and involving the right agencies as needed helps achieve positive outcomes.

Juvenile Justice: A Status Offense Case Study
Introduction
On a routine patrol during the early morning hours of Friday, January 13th, 2023, myself and Officer Smith noticed a group of four apparent minors standing outside a convenience store in Anytown after 1:00 am. Upon investigation, it became clear the teens were violating several status offense laws. This paper will analyze the specific violations, how each teen was processed, and factors that influenced decision making throughout the encounter.
Status Offense Laws Violated
There were three main status offense laws being broken by the four teens (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022). First, the city of Anytown has a curfew in place from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am on weeknights for those under 18 years old. At 1:00 am on a Friday, all teens were in violation of this ordinance.
Second, one female teen was in possession of a cigarette. Most states prohibit tobacco possession or use for minors under 21 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).
Finally, two male teens held open beer cans, violating underage alcohol possession laws as the legal drinking age is 21 (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2023). While status offenses are non-criminal, authorities still have a duty to process violations to ensure safety and prevent escalation to criminal acts.
Processing the Teen Violators
Each teen was processed individually to properly address their specific violations. The lone female was issued a written citation for the tobacco offense after the cigarette was confiscated per department procedure (Anytown Police Department Policy Manual, 2021).
The two males with alcohol received written citations as well after beer containers were seized. First offenses often result in fines to promote lawful behavior (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2023).
All four teens received written warnings informing them of the curfew ordinance and potential consequences for future transgressions. This documentation allows tracking of repeat issues that could warrant increased penalties (Anytown Municipal Code, 2019).
While processing, Officer Smith monitored my interactions from a short distance as a precaution. Her presence helped ensure safety and compliant behavior from all involved (International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2018). No use of force was necessary as all teens cooperated fully with instructions.
Handling an Uncooperative Teen
If noncompliance had occurred, standard procedures would have been followed (Anytown Police Department Policy Manual, 2021). First, I would have calmly but firmly repeated violations and consequences while allowing the teen opportunity to cooperate. Raising my voice or appearing confrontational risks escalating tensions unnecessarily.
Should noncompliance persist, Officer Smith and I were prepared to safely detain and transport the teen if needed. For their protection and ours, uncooperative individuals cannot be left at a scene. Backup also would have been requested via radio dispatch in case additional assistance was required.
Thorough documentation of all behaviors, decisions made, and justifications is crucial. This information supports any potential charges like obstruction while protecting all parties if complaints arise (International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2018). The goal remains resolution, not punishment, while upholding the law.
Handling an Uncooperative Parent
Fortunately, all parents responded to the scene to retrieve their children as requested. However, procedures were in place had cooperation been lacking. Child protective services would have been contacted as the legal guardian/caretaker is responsible for ensuring a minor’s safe release (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2019).
Failure to do so could indicate neglect, necessitating CPS involvement for the child’s wellbeing. Repeated parental noncompliance may also require diverting the teen to alternative programs like those offering education on substance abuse or curfew laws (Anytown Youth Services, 2023). Authorities aim to protect public safety and help redirect at-risk youth.
Conclusion
Through calm, lawful and procedurally sound handling of this routine status offense encounter, positive outcomes resulted. No escalation occurred and all parties cooperated. Proper documentation allows monitoring for repeat issues warranting increased intervention. Linking teens to educational resources aims to curb unlawful behavior. Remaining level-headed and following best practices helps achieve community safety and juvenile justice goals.

Anytown Municipal Code. (2019). Curfew ordinance. https://www.anytown.gov/municipal-code/public-conduct/curfew
Anytown Police Department Policy Manual. (2021). Juvenile operations. https://www.anytownpd.org/policies/juvenile
Anytown Youth Services. (2023). Diversion programs. https://www.anytownyouth.org/programs
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Tobacco use among youth and young adults. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/tobacco_use/index.htm
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2023). Underage drinking. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/underage-drinking
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2019). Definitions of child abuse and neglect. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/define.pdf
International Association of Chiefs of Police. (2018). Juvenile justice series: Status offenders. https://www.theiacp.org/resources/policy-center-resource/status-offenders
National Conference of State Legislatures. (2022). Status offense laws. https://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/status-offenses.aspx

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