Branding Young People as 'Criminals'

BALTIMORE, MD, June 27, 2012 (Press-News.org) People love to classify and apply labels. It's a natural human tendency.

But when it comes to kids and the criminal justice system, how early is too early to label a child?

The New York Times Magazine recently grappled with this question. The article described a boy whose parents watched as their three-year-old began turning into a more violent and aggressive nine-year-old.

The nine-year-old was subsequently given the label "psychotic."

But critics worry that the boy and others like him could face a pre-determined life path, all because of a premature and potentially-problematic diagnosis. Will the boy grow into the label? Will he have less of a chance at outgrowing or changing his behavior?

The debate over whether an early psychological diagnosis can negatively affect a person's life path is similar to one that plays out each day in the juvenile justice system. Children and teens convicted of crimes face the prospect of being unfairly labeled as an offender during a time period when many experts believe their brains - and their resulting actions - are still developing. If your child has been charged with a crime and you are worried about them unfairly being labeled, you may need to contact an experienced Baltimore juvenile defense attorney to learn more about your legal options.

The risk one takes in being labeled so early is in how they overcome the label as they grow to be an adult. Kids who have been placed in juvenile detention centers are labeled both in the system and by peers as "delinquents" who have come from the system. They are clearly disadvantaged at an early age when it comes to colleges, jobs and other life activities.

Being an adolescent is difficult enough, but navigating that path while carrying the stigma of being a criminal or juvenile offender can be a significant challenge.

The Baltimore DUI lawyers at The Law Offices of James E. Crawford, Jr. & Associates, LLC defend clients against all types of crimes, from misdemeanors like shoplifting, to felonies like drug distribution and sex offenses. Their firm also represents clients in divorce and Baltimore personal injury cases. People in Maryland have relied on the Law Offices of James E. Crawford, Jr. & Associates, LLC since 1992. To contact James Crawford, Esq. or a member of his legal team, call 866-635-0623, or visit http://www.crawforddefenseattorney.com/ for more information about his criminal law practice.

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