As children make the transition from youth to adult, they often make mistakes, some of them benign and some of them serious. Teens do not always think things through before acting and they may not understand the severity of the consequences for their allegedly wrongful actions.
A teenager in California is looking at potentially severe consequences after reportedly making a bomb threat at the Murrieta Valley High School last Thursday. While the police sent out a tweet calling the threat minor, the student allegedly responsible for making the call has been arrested and booked into the a juvenile facility.
The school received the call just before 10:30 a.m., on Thursday. A few moments later, police placed the school on lockdown as they searched the premises for explosives. At around 10:50 a.m., police lifted the lockdown and gave the all clear, indicating that the premises were safe and the threat "not credible."
The principal of Murrieta Valley High School stated that they always follow protocol in the face of any threat in order to keep their students safe. He added that school staff members believe they know who made the call. That same day, the authorities arrested a student enrolled in the school for making the threat.
When youths make mistakes, they should certainly face appropriate repercussions, especially when the mistakes are of a criminal nature. At the same time, the teen's parents need to look at how a potential conviction may affect a juvenile's future. A criminal defense attorney can help families find the right balance between appropriate consequences and an overly harsh sentence.
Source: Murrieta Patch, "Student Arrested For Murrieta Valley H.S. Bomb Threat," Susan C. Schena, Jan. 25, 2018