juvenile indecent exposure arrest

What is the name of your state? Tennessee

First let me say I am a first time user here so pardon me if I make any of the mistakes that I have seen others make that they were chastised for.

My situation is, I have a 17 year old son who was out riding in the countryside and decided it would be a good joke to play a prank on some people in the area. His idea for the joke was to strip down nude and then ask anyone he encountered if they could tell him where the nudist colony was. He encountered a woman who was in her front yard and he asked her. Of course, she called the police but my son wasn't aware of that. He then apparently got braver because he stopped at another house and knocked on the door...in the buff....and asked the lady who answered door the same question about if she knew where the nudist colony was. She also called police. My son then drove on and began getting dressed. Then he saw the policeman following him and of course he at first tried to deny it, but then admitted to it. Two counts of indecent exposure were the result. The juvenile officers have contacted me for a court date and they say the judge has reviewed the file and he wants a mental evaluation done. Of course I don't really object to it being done, not fearing anything other than a teenage boys mind (which is dangerous enough I know) acting foolishly. My son swears it wasn't a sexual act...just a joke that he now sees as not being funny. Neither do I think it was funny nor am I making excuses for him but I am afraid of what the courts can or will do with him. I truely want to comply with the law with this matter but at the same time, I want to be sure my son isn't being labled a sex offender because of a poor judgement in idea of a joke. Not that it matters, but my son is basically a good kid. Not perfect, but he has never been in any trouble, certainly not of THIS nature. He has held a steady job for over a year paying his expenses for school and transportation. I sometimes watch TV and with the shows that are on, I can almost understand how a 17 year old boys would think the prank was funny. The show "Jackass" is a prime example of people doing stunts simular to this. AND yes I have done my best to teach my children right from wrong. He made a poor choice in judgement and I am afraid of the lable the courts may try to put on him. I would appreciate any advice anyone could share.

What do you mean you don't understand how this is funny? I'm 29 years old and think it's hilarious! Why do people make such a big deal over nudity any way?

[racer72]

You sons next poor choice in judgement could result in him being branded a sexual predator. Get the boy some mental help.

[HomeGuru]

x

Just send him to Haulover Beach in Miami for a vacation.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Plifter, aka Pecker Lifter, knows quite a bit about "indecent exposure."

"Sometimes I like to jack off while I'm driving and the tinting gives me a bit of privacy."

- - By member "plifter," February 24, 2002

IAAL

[Rochelle]

Look, you don't sound like you are supporting his behaviour. Your son made a bad decision. Hey we were all 17 once, and I'm sure we all did things we're not so proud of now, except plifter, who is still doing it at 29.

If it works where you are, the way it works here, you will have a chance to speak with the judge. Our juvenile judge is great, but she's firm. But your son will have to watch his p's and q's for a while. I hope you punished him and aren't waiting for the judge to do it all.

We had our day in court and things went well in my opinion. They have ordered a mental evaluation, but gave me the choice of where it was to be done since my insurance was paying for it. He is on state probation pending the outcome of the mental evaluation. Juvenile officer said that if evaluation is clear, probably will have a 6 month probation time. He has to write letters of apology to the women he offended and he can't have any contact with them. Final court costs will be determined after the evaluation is completed, and my son will be responsible for that. Being as he doesn't have much of a life right now, he can be working to save the money. Yes, he is being punished because even though what he did wasn't to the degree of murder it still wasn't appropriate to do....and he knew this. Even as a joke, he knew it wasn't appropriate behavior. Thank you for all of your responses, even plifter.
I think it was plifters comments that at least confirmed to me that although my son went "brain dead" for a while when deciding to pull this prank, he at least knew he had done wrong and felt embarrassed by it after he was caught. That has to be a start.