Young people who face arrest may claim that they didn’t want to break the law in the first place. Instead, they were influenced by peer pressure. What they did was out of character.
For example, one young man told a story of being arrested in a carjacking. He said he didn’t initially know that the car had been stolen and that some of his friends simply picked him up when he missed the bus. The teen was arrested when the police finally stopped them. The young man claimed he would never have been caught up in such a situation if not for those friends.
As another example, the mother of a man who spent time behind bars said that he struggled with cognitive issues after a brain injury and desperately wanted to fit in with others. As a result, he may have been more likely to break the law if he felt like that would give him more acceptance from his peers. You will often find situations like this when groups of teens shoplift, engage in underage drinking, steal cars and much more.
What options do parents have?
If you’re a parent of a teenager, you certainly may be worried that your teen will be pressured into breaking the law — something they never would have done on their own. You’re worried about their education, their job prospects, their reputation and their future in general.
Fortunately, there are criminal defense options you can use as you work to protect your child’s future. Getting experienced legal guidance is a good first step.
