Hypothetical situation involving kids: Detective, police, detention officer, ex-juvie, lawyer, probation...?

Question

I know this sounds crazy!

If two kids, aged 13 and 14, were at a party together and the 14-year-old stabs a 20-year-old woman by mistake while very high on narcotics, and the boys are arrested, would any detention facility house them longterm in the same 2-person cell while in detention permitting they were both on good behavior? (Keep in mind that the 14-y-o is now sober. The two kids are the youngest, smallest in the whole place. Visibly shaken, no records. They are also white, not a minority group.) It is obvious it was a mistake, but neither boy will talk and no one knows specifically what happened.

Also, if the boy that plead guilty in Juvenile Court what can he expect his sentence to be? Adult court?

Would the other boy be held responsible in any way? He was just sitting there and had no control over what happened.

If the boys were brought in, obviously scared, would they be put into the population gradually or right away?

What would they do in YOUR area? PLEASE!

If this were to happen, what would be the outcome? Also, I ask about four specific questions if you have any idea...

Answer 1

I'm a juvenile probation officer in Indiana, so here's what would happen in my area.

At the time of the offense, the police would arrest both juveniles, as well as everyone else at the party that was involved in the offense, or in the use of drugs. If there is anyone drinking illegally, they'd also be arrested.

The police would call whichever probation officer is on duty to ask the officer what should be done with the 2 boys. Since the offense is murder, the 14 year old would be taken to the local detention center because he would need to be detained for the safety of the community. Since the 13 year old is on drugs, if I were on call, I'd also detain him for his own safety. Within 72 hours of the time they were detained (not counting weekends and holidays), the Court would hold a detention hearing for each of the boys. At this hearing, the state would present evidence as to why the boys should continue to be held in detention. A juvenile probation officer would expect to testify as to the content of the police report.

I'd bet that, at the detention hearing, the 14 year old would be sent back to detention for another week until another detention hearing and also an Initial Hearing could be held, based on the fact that his offense was so violent. After that hearing, he'll get sent back to detention. Odds are the kid is not going to be allowed home anytime soon.

The 13 year old might be allowed to go home at the original detention hearing, probably on electronic monitoring, until his Initial Hearing. The Court might choose to keep him in detention until his Initial Hearing, and possibly even longer. It all depends upon the facts of the case and his involvement in the murder.

While the boys are in detention, they would not be allowed to room together since they would be considered co-defendants.

It's possible that the state might seek to waive the 14 year old to adult court, since he committed such a violent act. If that happens, he won't be sentenced to just probation. He could expect to serve his time in an adult facility. In Indiana, juveniles can be waived to adult court if they are charged with murder if they are over the age of 10.

The fact that he wouldn't have committed the offense if he weren't on drugs doesn't lessen his culpability for the offense. He made the choice to use the drugs, therefore he is responsible for any acts he committed while on those drugs.

A mistake is saying that 2+2=5. Stabbing someone is a criminal act, not a mistake. Murder is a Class "A" felony. That's the highest level of offense. If he doesn't get waived to adult court, he's going to be in boys' school until he is 21. If he does get waived to adult court, he's going to be in prison for quite some time.

And by the way, who cares if the boys are white, black, green, or orange? In my county, we don't discriminate against the juveniles.

Answer 2

Well from what I have been seeing the court system is failing BIG TIME. Everyone who should be going to jail are getting off with probation or cases ARE being dismissed. The JUDGES are NOT doing their JOB. And JUST in case there is a judge on this site. YES YOU TOO. This does apply to the USA and more specifically the east coast as in Massachusetts. But if the boy who did the stabbing does get convicted high or not he might go to a detention center for youths. NOT IN MASSACHUSETTS mind you. The 2nd kid I don't even understand why he was arrested. He didn't take part in it. So he most likely WOULD be let go. IF either is convicted it would be as a juvenile not an adult. They would be put into population but again in a juvenile faculty.

Answer 3

The 14 year old boy will be meted the crime of homicide for killing the woman with an aggravating circumstance of under the influence of drugs.

The 13 year old boy will be meted the crime for use of and illegal drug.

However, since they admitted the charges, the admission will be treated as a mitigating circumstance together with minority.

They will be placed under rehabilitation by the Social Welfare Department since they are minors and will not be committed for imprisonment.

Answer 4

They put them into juvenile jail unless they are tried as adults. If they are tried as adults, they will be in solitary confinement at the prison until they are 18 and then they are let in with the general population of the prison.