The law, the ever present reminder of right and wrong, presides over all citizens. However, those under the age of 18 who get in trouble with the law will receive a different treatment than adults. One distinct difference is what minors can be punished for doing. While non-status offenses are crimes that can be committed by adults or minors, a special category of acts exists called status offenses. Status offenses only pertain to juveniles; these actions are only illegal if committed by a minor. Status offenses can include truancy, underage consumption or possession of alcohol, and running away.
Despite these differences, the action that occurs the instant that a juvenile acts in violation of the law is no different than when an adult commits a crime. An officer will respond and investigate as he or she would with a person over the age of 18. From that point, the procedure changes.
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“There is a different language for juveniles than for adults. You would say ‘arrest.’ I would say ‘taking into custody,'” Julie Johnson, the Greene County Juvenile Probation Officer, clarifies the initial steps when enough information is present to warrant a violation of the law. Johnson handles each and every Greene County minor that comes into contact with the police. There is no one more knowledgeable in the field of juvenile crime than Johnson. She is aware of all that occurs from the beginning to the end of a child’s encounter with the system.