Will My Child Be Punished For Threatening Their School? 

With the amount of school violence on the rise, Massachusetts’ educational institutions are taking school threats very seriously. Juvenile Crimes are not uncommon. Even if a child is just joking about bringing a weapon to school, they may be arrested and criminally charged. Depending on their age and the circumstances surrounding the threat, they may even be charged as an adult. Making threats at school is penalized harshly, so it’s important to have adequate legal representation for your child. 

Your Child Didn’t Know They Were Making a Threat   

You may be able to argue that your child wasn’t aware that they were making a threat. For example, say your child didn’t say anything about a weapon or a place, nor did they express an intent to harm anyone. They may not have understood that what was said was perceived as a threat. An example of this would be if a child had developmental delays that caused them to lack understanding of the threat. 

Your Child Was Not the One Making Threats 

It’s possible that your child was the victim of false accusations and was blamed for the threats by the real perpetrator to try to deflect the investigation away from them. Or, your child may have volunteered to take the heat for making threats that a friend made instead because they were afraid of their friend getting into trouble. If possible, contact people who were there at the time the alleged threats were made. Any children or teachers that witnessed another child make the threats could potentially testify that it was not the child they observed. 

Discuss the Possibility of a Plea Deal 

A plea deal may be something you want to explore if the evidence against your child is overwhelming. For example, if someone recorded your child making threats, this would make a This may allow the court to offer your child alternative sentencing instead of trying them in front of a jury or sentencing them to juvenile detention. 

Reach Out to a Massachusetts Juvenile Criminal Defense Attorney Now 

Don’t hesitate to get legal help as quickly as possible if your child is suspected or charged with making threats at school. The penalties may be severe and your child’s education will most certainly be impacted. Contact Massachusetts juvenile criminal defense Attorney Thomas Kokonowski by dialing 413-485-9200 (Northampton), 413-549-0022 (Amherst), or 413-737-9700 (Springfield). 

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