Colorado Springs Police have released the latest information relating to juvenile arrests in the area. There have been nearly 90 juvenile arrests each month in 2017 so far. Fortunately, this figure does not represent a major increase compared to the last five years' worth of data.

As for recent events, two 16-year-olds were arrested last week for attempted murder, relating to a shooting in September close to Doherty High School. Last week as well, police apprehended two 13-year-old boys who allegedly created a "hit list" that included staff members and students at Sabin Middle School. In addition, on a recent Wednesday night, a teenager was arrested outside Palmer High School after a shooting incident left a teen with critical injuries.

It should be noted that teens under the age of 18 will likely be treated differently by the criminal justice system as they are not yet adults. Courts will usually take into account both age and the severity of the offense when trying to determine how to handle a criminal matter relating to a teenager who has yet to become a legal adult. More specifically, courts tend to be more oriented toward rehabilitation when it comes to young adults and criminal offenses.

If your underage son or daughter has been accused of a crime -- just like any adult -- he or she will have the opportunity to defend him or herself against the allegations in court. It should be mentioned, however, that the prosecution and criminal defense of teenagers and children will be handled quite differently than cases involving individuals who are 18 years of age or older.

Source: KOAA, "Colorado Springs Police release juvenile arrest data," Oct. 19, 2017