Truancy / Disorderly Conduct

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

My son is 16 and was taken to juvenile after he refused to go to school. We called the police on him and he still would not go to school. He claimed the school was attempting 'mind manipulation' on him. We did not know this, but apparently he has not been to school 8 days straight. The school did not notify us that he did not show up. We saw him walk off to school them 7 days so we figured he was going like he usually does. Anyways, when the police arrived, he refused to go and hooted and hollered at the cop saying "**** the thought police they call teachers!". The court ordered a psychiatric evaluation on him in the juvenile, but he ripped it up and refused to take it. The juvenile wrote him up saying that he said "**** you, I know what you are trying to do with me!". He has always been sort of a free-thinker and has always had straight As, but lately we have noticed some odd behaviors from him. First he buried our TV in the back-yard because it was, as he said, "teaching us kids violent behaviors". Second he has become very obsessive with Buddhism and shaved off all his hair to help him meditate. He very rarely leaves the house anymore and has dropped all of his friends because they "have drank or will one day drink alcohol". Other things of this nature also. These strange behaviors have been going on two months now. He was arrested an taken to juvenile the Friday before Thanksgiving. My mother was schizophrenic and hung herself when I was young so we have thought something like this may have passed on to him. We've been attempting to have him hospitalized rather than in juvenile, but the judge ordered him to stay in juvenile because he has an attitude problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

From what you are saying, I think you son may need long time councilling. J Hall is not going to help him.
The court should be able to provide you a list of them. Go talk to the J court clerk ASAP. It is important that you find one that he can connect with. I recommend that you talk to one that has a good working knowledge of the councillers in the area.

First thing you need to do, is dig up the TV and clean it off before the picture quality degrades any.
Then gather up all the rope in the house and put it in that hole you dug to retrieve the TV and fill it back up.
Then see about having your son committed to a mental health facility for a complete psych examination/evaluation.
Then listen to and follow the advice of his doctors.

Unfortunately this forum is for legal advise and it sounds like your son requires medical treatment. I suggest you pursue this course of action upon his release from Juvenile hall.

I agree with outonbail - he needs to receive a formal evaluation. If you can arrange it, I imagine the court would go along with it. Check with your insurance provider or with H.R. at your work and see what options might be available to you.

I feel for the problems you are going through and wish I had some answer, but I strongly suspect some mental illness is at play here.

Good luck, and God Bless.

- Carl

Call behavioral hospitals and see if you can get your son admitted into their Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility Program (PRTF). At your son's next hearing in Court, request that he be discharged to be taken immediately to the PRTF. Your insurance or you will have to pay if you do this.

The other option might be for the Court to order him into placement at at PRTF, and the transport officers for the Court take your child there.

Your other option is to request that the Court order a Psych Eval given to your son while he is in the juvenile detention facility, but it appears your son is not going to cooperate with that option.