A certification hearing is how the Attorney General asks the Rhode Island Family Court to keep a juvenile felony case but allow a sentence longer than the court's normal limit of age 19. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-7.2, the state must prove probable cause, that the youth's history or Read More
A Family Court commitment to the Rhode Island Training School can last no longer than the youth's 19th birthday under R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-36. The judge can set a shorter term or end it early, and a youth held only while the case is pending is usually there for Read More
Rhode Island juvenile records are confidential and not visible on standard background checks used by most colleges. Most college applications do not require disclosure of juvenile court involvement, and even when they do, the disclosure is typically limited to convictions (not arrests or dismissed cases). Federal financial aid (FAFSA) historically Read More
Absolutely. Even though Rhode Island juvenile cases are confidential and focused on rehabilitation, the consequences of poor case handling can affect a young person's entire future. A juvenile defense lawyer can negotiate dispositions that keep your child out of the Training School, prevent transfer to adult court for serious cases, Read More
Yes, generally. Rhode Island law requires parental notification when a juvenile is taken into police custody, and parents have the right to be present during questioning. Juveniles also have the right to a lawyer during interrogation. Statements made by juveniles without parental presence or legal counsel can sometimes be challenged Read More
Yes. Rhode Island juvenile records can be expunged after the juvenile turns 18, provided no further criminal involvement occurred between the original case and the expungement petition. Juvenile expungement is generally more accessible than adult expungement and has shorter waiting periods. The records were already confidential during the juvenile case, Read More
The Rhode Island Training School (the Thomas C. Slater Training School for Youth in Cranston) is the state's secure juvenile facility, operated by the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). It holds youths detained while their Family Court case is pending and youths the court has committed after a Read More
Yes. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-7, the Attorney General can ask the Family Court to waive jurisdiction so a juvenile is tried as an adult. A waiver hearing is available for any child charged with an offense punishable by life imprisonment, and for any child 16 or older charged Read More
Generally not. Rhode Island juvenile court records are confidential and sealed from public view, including from standard background checks for employment, housing, and education. The records do exist within the court system and law enforcement databases but are not publicly accessible. Juvenile records can also be expunged after the juvenile Read More
Juvenile crime in Rhode Island refers to criminal offenses committed by persons under 18 years of age, prosecuted in Rhode Island Family Court Juvenile Division rather than adult court. The juvenile system focuses on rehabilitation over punishment, with dispositions including counseling, community service, probation, and (in serious cases) commitment to Read More