Chatham County GA Juvenile arrest criminal lawyer

Chatham County GA Juvenile arrest criminal lawyer

Juvenile criminal procedure in Chatham County Georgia

?A law enforcement officer can detain a juvenile for either a felony or misdemeanor offense. But unlike the case with adults, the law enforcement officer do not have to personally witness a misdemeanor to take the juvenile into custody. He needs simply probable cause to believe it was committed. He can even arrest upon reasonable cause to believe the minor a truant. After arresting a minor, the officer then has several options. He can release him with a mere warning or release him and refer him to appear before a community agency for counseling. He can release him and issue a citation to appear before a Probation Officer for further action, or he may directly have him kept in custody by Juvenile Detention Authorities. The minor must not be put in with adult offenders.

The Officer is required to immediately inform the minors parent or guardian of the detention. The minor is allowed two completed phone calls, to a parent and also to a lawyer. When the officer decides on detention, he has to present the minor before a Probation Officer within 24 hours of his arrest. The Probation Officer has the authority to release the minor, order informal counseling, informal probation, or order a petition filed against him, upon release or while kept in custody.

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