When a minor is arrested, it is very common for them to become nervous and make incriminating statements. Dealing with police officers is not only a skill children do not learn, it may vary from town to town, race to race and per situation.
If you have been charged with a misdemeanor, depending on the severity of the crime, you could be facing up to a year of jail time. Spending time in jail can have consequences on your life ranging from social exclusion, difficulty finding work and having jail time on your criminal record to trauma you might experience during your jail sentence.
If you have been charged with a misdemeanor in California and sentenced to probation, you may feel as though you have won just by avoiding a jail sentence. While this is very true (jail sentences are reserved for much more serious cases and criminals who may pose a risk to society), probation does not mean you are off the hook.
