Suspects under the age of 18 are typically considered juveniles in the eyes of the law, and the rules surrounding bail are different for them. When it comes to adults, the legal process for getting them out of jail is pretty cut-and-dry. An adult can access bail bonds to get them out of jail as soon as the arrest and booking process is over. Juveniles cannot. As a matter of fact, they don’t even have access to the bail system.
Most of the crimes juveniles are charged with are minor misdemeanors such as shoplifting, vandalism, truancy, etc. Though they can also be charged with more serious crimes, such as murder and robbery.
When a juvenile commits a crime they are arrested just like anyone else. Police have the option of releasing the juvenile with a warning if the crime is minor and they have no prior criminal record, unlike with adults who must be arrested.
Juveniles aren’t obligated to go through the booking and processing procedure and then be held until their trial. Instead, they are usually released to their parents who are then responsible for their child’s appearance before the court at the appointed date and time.
Since juveniles don’t go typically get held in custody after their arrest, there is no need for them to have access to bail. In very serious cases things may be different, but the courts generally try not to separate juveniles from their parents for longer than necessary during the court process. Juvenile court dates almost always come up faster than adult court dates for this reason.
When a juvenile is suspected of committing a serious crime and it is determined that they are to be tried as an adult, things are a little different. They lose the protections placed on them for being in the juvenile court system, but gain some constitutional protections that apply to adults but not juveniles. The whole process is very complicated and an attorney should be consulted for accurate information.
Ultimately, though, if your child commits a crime they will almost assuredly not need a bail bond and will be released to the custody of their parents.
