Last week, we touched on some of the basics of questioning minors about crimes and how difficult it can be to determine if the fine line is crossed of what is acceptable and what isn’t. This week, we will expand on that post about juvenile justice to discuss juvenile crimes that involve being in possession of alcohol or drugs. Our readers in Virginia might find this information interesting.
Each state is responsible for creating laws and consequences for minors in possession of drugs and alcohol. While those aspects of the minor in possession laws might vary, the main purposes of the laws are to give minors help for chemical dependency, let minors know of the dangers of their actions and get the minors involved in community service activities. These purposes are seemingly based on the theory that early intervention is the best intervention.
A minor who consumed alcohol as part of a religious service, for example, might be able to present that as a defense if he or she was accused of a minor in possession charge that was the result of that. Consuming alcohol in a place with a younger drinking age is another possible defense if that is what happened.
When parents learn that their child has been accused of juvenile drug possession or juvenile alcohol possession, they might decide that their child deserves the chance to defend themselves. There are several defense options that someone charged with minor in possession could choose to use. Each type of defense has ups and downs, so working with someone familiar with the juvenile justice system is vital to ensure that everyone involved fully understands the available options.
Source: FindLaw, “MIP: A Minor in Possession” Oct. 05, 2014
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