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arresting a juvenile

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tcg13172

Guest
What is the name of your state? virginia

I am the parent of a 13 year old girl. Last week, my daughter and one of her friends thought it would be fun to try to buy some cigarettes. This was a very stupid idea. They went to a neighborhood store and tried to buy some cigarettes but the owner told them that they were too young. Well, evidently my daughter and her friend didn't like this. They decided they would take some gum instead. This was an even worse idea.

They each pocketed one pack of gum. They then proceeded to leave the store. When they had gotten just outside the door, the owner rushed out and told them to stop. He told them he had seen them take the gum and to come back into the store. Neither girl denied taking the gum and went with the owner, thinking he was going to call the parents. He called the police instead. The police came and the owner insisted that he wanted to prosecute the girls.

My daughter and her friend were arrested. They were handcuffed behind the back and taken to the police station where the parents were called. When I arrived at the police station, I was told my daughter would be released into my custody. An officer went into a conference room to get her, and when he brought her out, she was still handcuffed behind her back. He proceeded to remove the handcuffs. I asked why she was handcuffed and was told that they didn't want to put her in a cell so they put her in the conference room and left her handcuffed as a precaution.

I found out later that the other girl was treated the same way although in another room. I was told that my daughter would have to go to court on the charge of shoplifting. I have since spoken to the owner and he has agreed to drop the charges if my daughter and her friend never come back to his store. Well, my daughter won't be going anywhere for awhile.

I was wondering why my daughter and her friend had to be arrested. Why couldn't the police have called the parents to come to the store and handle everything there. Also, is it customary when arresting 13 year olds to handcuff them behind the back and then leave them handcuffed as a security precaution? Maybe this was done to scare the girls into never doing this again, and I hope they never will, but it does seem like it was not necessary. Any thoughts?
 


cmorris

Member
tcg13172 said:
I was wondering why my daughter and her friend had to be arrested. Why couldn't the police have called the parents to come to the store and handle everything there. Also, is it customary when arresting 13 year olds to handcuff them behind the back and then leave them handcuffed as a security precaution? Maybe this was done to scare the girls into never doing this again, and I hope they never will, but it does seem like it was not necessary. Any thoughts?
They stole and broke the law. Maybe it was a $0.25 pack of gum, but what's next? When should someone be arrested? $1? $5? $10? $100? Who gets to decide?

You know your daughter may not be violent or try to run away, but the police do not know that. It is a security precaution and likely to also let the girls know theft is serious.
 

stealth2

Under the Radar Member
Why should they NOT have been arrested? If nothing else, I'm willing to bet that they're not going to do something that stupid again. Better to have the snot scared out of them NOW.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
tcg13172 said:
I was wondering why my daughter and her friend had to be arrested.
Probably because the store owner insisted upon it. In CA we are required by law to accept an arrest made by a private person and I suspect it is the same in VA.


Why couldn't the police have called the parents to come to the store and handle everything there.
Fear. The most effective way to prevent a child from doing it again is to scare them.

Not every child has parents that will drive home the point that theft is NOT okay. Sometimes the best possible solution is to treat the kids like they will be treated if they decide this is a neat career path.

Calling mom and dad at home generally has very little impact on those kids whose parents don't give a rat's tail end about their activity anyway. Then all that happens is that the child avoids the full fear factor.

Now, these girls will remember being slapped in cuffs and taken to the police station. It may make them think twice before even thinking about sholifting anything ever again.


Also, is it customary when arresting 13 year olds to handcuff them behind the back and then leave them handcuffed as a security precaution?
Yes.

I handcuff ANY kid that I arrest or detain as a matter of safety, policy, and, the fear factor. They generally stay in handcuffs, too.


Maybe this was done to scare the girls into never doing this again, and I hope they never will, but it does seem like it was not necessary. Any thoughts?
It may not have been 'necessary', but chances are it was policy and it was a good way to have an impact on the children.

I can also tell you stories of kids attacking officers, and even one instance where a 12 and a 13 year old (both girls) tried to take an officer's gun!

In my agency officers that take a juvenile into custody for any reason WILL handcuff them behind the back, and WILL keep them handcuffed. I have had lengthy conversations in the past with my officers who did not, and they now cuff them.

I hope that the experience as a whole keeps the girls from doing this again. That's the whole idea.

- Carl
 

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