Your child being arrested is a very frightening thing for a parent to handle! But you’re not alone.
For a parent, there are few things more frustrating than getting a call from your child – at the local police station where they’re under arrest for doing something stupid. But regardless of how little you may want to get that call, for many parents it’s a reality they can’t avoid. So what do you do? How do you handle it? It’s really scary – we get it! (We’re parents too!) So let’s take a look at this together, and talk about your options. We’re helped out with this very dilemma hundreds of times.
Let’s start at the beginning…
Kids are impulsive. They often make choices without thinking them through. They tend to believe they’re not vulnerable, and that “bad things” only happen to other people. That can lead to some pretty dumb decisions, and some disastrous results! So when your kid makes a thoughtless choice that lands them behind bars in a Michigan County Jail, there are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind:
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Stay Calm!
We realize this is the equivalent of telling someone not to get mad when they discover their spouse cheating on them! In the moment it feels practically impossible. However, the reality is that yelling and name-calling and accusations aren’t going to help anyone. Also, people don’t always make the best choices when they’re wound up. So if you want to drive home the point about making well-thought-out-decisions to your child, losing your cool in the moment isn’t the way to do it! Take a deep breath. We can do this together.
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Get as much information as you can.
When you get that phone call, get as much info as you can. Find out where your child is being held, what they were arrested for, who they’ve spoken to since their arrest, and whether or not bail is an option. Remember, you can’t do anything to help them until you know exactly what the problem is. So try to get as much information as possible as quickly as you can. Next, you should understand that the phone call might be recorded. That means that you should tell your child to not talk about what happened. Don’t go there. Say that you understand they are afraid and that you’ll work on getting an attorney and bailing them out. Then go from there…
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Don’t “play attorney” or give your child legal advice!
You may be the parent, which means that in most situations you know what’s best for your child. But when it comes to the legal world, a simple mistake can change the outcome of a case! DO NOT encourage your child to confess anything, to “just be honest” with the police, or to share “their side of the story.” The only advice you should be giving them is to respectfully keep their lips buttoned until the attorney you hire shows up. (Which should be ASAP!) So, shut up, lawyer up and call an experienced criminal defense lawyer quickly. Many of us answer our phones 24/7 for emergencies just like yours.
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Hire an experienced attorney who handles criminal defenses
The sooner you get an attorney, the better! Being arrested is a terrifying experience and kids are so easy to manipulate, as they aren’t familiar with the system. Getting a frightened kid to admit to something, or to confess to a crime isn’t hard when the investigator is seasoned, and the kid is still wet-behind-the-ears. So the faster you get a skilled defense attorney in there, the better your child’s chances of coming out unscathed will be! Keep your child quiet.
If you need legal help for your child, call The Kronzek Firm immediately!
Defending against criminal charges is a lot like fighting a disease – the sooner you start, the better the potential outcome! If your child has been arrested for a crime in MIchigan, call us immediately at 866 766 5245. Our highly skilled criminal defense attorneys have spent decades defending Michigan residents of all ages. We understand exactly how the criminal justice system works for both juveniles and adult, and can help your child achieve the best results in their case. Join us next time, as we continue this discussion about what to do when your child gets arrested. It may not be a fun topic, but for many parents, it’s a critical one!