On Plea Deals for Juvenile Crimes in Las Vegas

A Las Vegas  juvenile crime court is a unique judicial facility with it own means of handling offenders. Its primary purpose is to help correct a juvenile offender’s actions, iit has no jury, and its penalties are not as punitive as regular courts. Commonly, these courts handle minor cases like petty larceny, vandalism of public property, or driving without a license, which have relatively minor penalties that most defendants can manage with.

However, there are rare instances where the full penalty may be too much for a juvenile defendant to handle. In such cases, the defendant may have to consider accepting a plea deal. Plea deals provide juvenile defenders with a way to avoid the full penalty if they are convicted, although they have to make some concessions to the prosecution in return. There is a reason why juvenile defense attorneys only suggest this move as a last resort.

Before considering the prospects of a plea deal for your Las Vegas juvenile crimes, you have to consider several factors that can affect you in the future.

Plea Bargains in a Juvenile Law Context

Generally speaking, the Nevada Revised Statutes defines plea bargaining as an agreement between the prosecution and the accused whereby the accused agrees to plead guilty or enter a plea of no contest to one or a few of the charges poised against him or her in exchange for reduced penalties, a shorter prison sentence, or in the case of a group crime, witness protection. Plea deals do not offer a chance for the total elimination of penalties, however, and the defendant will still have to serve time and pay restitutions where applicable.

In the case of juvenile offenses, the plea deal focuses on making the defendant admit that he or she committed the crime, in exchange for foregoing the need to go to court, as well as reduced penalties. In some situations, after the plea bargain has been finalized the defendant will not have to go through one of a group of juvenile correctional programs, either just attending a youth program, providing community service, or staying at home under close supervision by a guardian or parent. There may not be a need to go through all these at once if it is stipulated in the plea.

To Plea or Not To Plea

As stated earlier, plea deals require concessions on the part of the defendant in order to go through. While most of these concessions may be benign, the overarching issue is that agreeing to a plea deal automatically amounts to a guilty verdict in a person’s legal record. For a minor, this can have devastating effects for his or her future; his chances of achieving a decent college education, getting stable employment, and receiving other benefits become slim the moment that people see the court records. There has been some pushback against plea bargaining in juvenile courts because of this matter.

Conversely, a plea deal provides a defendant with a chance to avoid more severe penalties in the short term. A reduction in fines and time spent in correctional programs may be expected. For more serious juvenile crimes, there may be less time spent in a juvenile detention facility, or the time spent may be reduced to the aforementioned youth programs instead. For some youths who cannot afford to spend an extended period in a Las Vegas juvenile court, accepting a plea deal is a tempting prospect.

Always Consult

A plea deal is one of those binding legal agreements that have long-term repercussions for the defendant. Its outcomes can either be good or bad, and in some situations, it can be a mix of both. Remember that while it does handle some of the immediate problems that come with juvenile crime conviction in Las Vegas, it does not totally eliminate the long-term issues, like the aforementioned guilty mark on the defendant’s legal record.

Above all else, the defendant must consult closely with their juvenile defense attorney before making any drastic decisions. The lawyer has the most experience when it comes to handling these situations, and he or she has a better grasp of how the defendant is currently faring. Never go against what your defense lawyer advises you to do; if he or she believes that going through with the trial and denying the plea deal is the best course of action, take it. However, just remember to ask your lawyer about why a particular action should be taken so that you can understand its bearing on your case.

In the end, a plea bargain for juvenile crime in Nevada is still a double-edged sword; the only difference is which edge is sharper. Consider your options carefully before agreeing to any plea deal, and work closely with your juvenile crimes lawyer to help you make an informed decision.

The Increased Risk of Domestic Violence Cases During the Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has had an unprecedented and severe effect on the lives of many people, not just in Las Vegas, but all across the world at large. For several weeks people were forced to go out less or extensively stay at home in a bid to minimize the spread of this deadly virus. Businesses and public services were seriously disrupted as work hours were staggered or only essential people were called in for work. People had to fumble around with online communications just to get work or school done.

While the country is still dealing with the repercussions of this major medical event, there were other issues that brewed up during the period, and have just come to light. For instance, during the height of the lockdown period, there was a reported increase in domestic violence cases across various parts of the world, and in Las Vegas in particular. It is a serious development that can be of interest to domestic violence defense attorneys who are studying the repercussions of the virus lockdown on the field of criminal defense as a whole.

The Global Picture

One of the primary responses across the world to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is to advise their citizens to stay home. While it has contributed to slowing down the proliferation of the virus, it has led to negative repercussions across the board, like economic slowdowns, mental health issues, and socio-political disruption. Unfortunately, the stresses of being stuck at home for an extended period, as well as a reduction of work options, has led to friction between family members and eventually, more alleged instances of domestic violence.

National governments and non-profit groups reported a significant increase in domestic violence-related calls over the past two months. Many reported stress-induced incidents where their spouses or parents physically abused them as a means of channeling their frustrations caused by the lockdown. Other frequently-reported cases involve abusive and mentally dangerous individuals using the lockdown to detain victims against their will, using the lockdown as a valid excuse while their paranoia gets the best of them. The situation has reached such levels that even the UN Secretary-General appealed for these people to cease their actions as it was compounding an already-difficult situation.

The Situation at Home

The United States has not been spared this situation, with many states reporting increases in physical and sexual abuse in households affected by the pandemic. These reports range from verbal or physical threats for people trying to get out to purchase supplies on authorized times, to even attempted homicide with household implements and unregistered firearms. While there are locations that reported a decrease in domestic violence reports, law enforcement in said areas suspect that the pandemic has led to underreporting from possible victims.

In Las Vegas, the first phase of the city’s post-lockdown re-opening saw a substantial increase in domestic violence reports, with many of the incidents covering the lockdown period. Police and local volunteers expect the calls for help to increase further as time goes on. They are also looking into an increase of domestic abuse-related homicides in the city due to further repercussions brought about by the virus.

A Case Study for Defense Lawyers

Extended periods of confinement combined with reduced opportunities to grow financially have led to friction with family members during this lockdown period. While previous studies note that extended periods of family members staying together (such as during holidays or vacations) can lead to increased chances of domestic abuse, the virus lockdown offers a new perspective on situations that merit such accusations.

Defense attorneys will look to these incidents with a keener eye. They will have to determine if the effects of the pandemic can be a valid defense against a future domestic violence conviction. Related circumstances to such incidents--like the delayed request for help, available witnesses and evidence, and the motivations for both parties as colored by the lockdown--have a role to play in future cases that defense lawyers in Las Vegas and beyond will handle.

The coronavirus lockdown may have had a negative on people’s lives and may have led to an increase in certain crimes, but it has provided insight into new avenues that legal experts can learn from. This is invaluable knowledge moving forward, preparing defense attorneys for handling cases during and after major disasters.