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Common Questions

• Whose lawyer are you?
• What is a petition?
• Where is my child held while waiting to go to trial?
• Are my child’s charges public?
• How long can my child go to jail for?
• If my child is sent to jail, where will he/she be placed?
• Who is responsible for my child’s probation and how can I get in touch with them?
• Preamble to the Louisiana Children’s Code

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Whose lawyer are you?

JRS attorneys work as zealous advocates for their juvenile clients. JRS works with the parents and guardians of their clients, but is not the attorney for the family. JRS only represents the juvenile, not the parents. Therefore, it is important that we are able to have private meetings with our client. There are times we will need to speak with your child without you being present. JRS must represent a child client as it would an adult client, letting the youth determine the goals of representation.

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What is a petition?

A petition is an important document in the juvenile delinquency system. The petition is the official document that charges your child with a delinquent act. When looking at the petition, make sure the petition lists your correct address and phone number.

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Where is my child held while waiting to go to trial?

Unless your child is released into your custody, he/she will be held at the local detention center, the Youth Study Center (YSC). The YSC is located at:

1100 Milton Street
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 658-3400

YSC currently has family visiting hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1pm and 4pm. Contact the YSC for more information.

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Are my child’s charges public?

If the juvenile is 14 or older, his or her name, age and the delinquent act the child is charged with can be released if the charge is:

(1) Solicitation for Murder
(2) First Degree Murder
(3) Second Degree Murder
(4) Manslaughter
(5) Aggravated Battery
(6) Second Degree Battery
(7) Aggravated Assault
(8) Mingling Harmful Substances
(9) Aggravated Rape
(10) Forcible Rape
(11) Simple Rape
(12) Sexual Battery
(13) Second Degree Sexual Battery
(14) Intentional Exposure to AIDS Virus
(15) Aggravated Kidnapping
(16) Second Degree Kidnapping
(17) Simple Kidnapping
(18) Aggravated Arson
(19) Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property
(20) Aggravated Burglary
(21) Armed Robbery
(22) First Degree Robbery
(23) Simple Robbery
(24) Purse Snatching
(25) Extortion
(26) Assault by Drive-by Shooting
(27) Aggravated Crime Against Nature
(28) Carjacking
(29) Illegal Use of Weapons or Dangerous Instrumentalities
(30) Terrorism
(31) Aggravated Second Degree Battery
(32) Aggravated Assault upon a Peace Officer with a Firearm
(33) Aggravated Assault with a Firearm
(34) Armed Robbery; Use of Firearm; Additional Penalty
(35) Second Degree Robbery
(36) Disarming of a Peace Officer
(37) Stalking
(38) Second Degree Cruelty to Juveniles
(39) Aggravated Flight from an Officer
(40) Aggravated Incest
(41) Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance
(42) A Second or Subsequent Felony-Grade Offense (ask your attorney what delinquent acts are considered felonies)

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How long can my child go to jail for?

Your child cannot go to jail for longer than an adult would go to jail. The longest someone can be sent to jail in the juvenile justice system is until the juvenile’s 21st birthday. The amount of time your child can go to jail depends on the charge.

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If my child is sent to jail, where will he/she be placed?

The State of Louisiana operates three secure care facilities for boys. Those facilities are:

Bridge City Center for Youth 3225 River Road Bridge City, LA 70094 (504) 436-4253 Director, John Anderson

Mailing Address P.O. Box 9098 Bridge City, LA 70094

Jetson Center for Youth Highway 61 Baker, LA 70714 (225) 778-9000 Director, Gene Perkins

Mailing Address P.O. Box 97527 Baton Rouge, LA 70874

Swanson Center for Youth 4701 S. Grand Street Monroe, LA 71202 Director, Alan Michel (318) 362-5000

Most youth from New Orleans are placed at either Bridge City or Jetson, though there is a chance your child could be placed at Swanson in Monroe.

OYD does not hold girls at any of these three facilities. If you have a daughter who is sentenced to secure care, OYD has worked with several detention centers in Louisiana to develop programs specifically for these girls. You will need to contact OYD to learn which facility your daughter will placed.

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Who is responsible for my child’s probation and how can I get in touch with them?

The Office of Youth Development, which everyone calls OYD, is responsible for your child’s probation. If you live in New Orleans, their contact info is:

731 St. Charles Avenue 2nd Floor
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 568-4535

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Preamble to the Louisiana Children’s Code

The people of Louisiana recognize the family as the most fundamental unit of human society; that preserving families is essential to a free society; that the relationship between parent and child is preeminent in establishing and maintaining the well-being of the child; that parents have the responsibility for providing the basic necessities of life as well as love and affection to their children; that parents have the paramount right to raise their children in accordance with their own values and traditions; that parents should make the decisions regarding where and with whom the child shall reside, the educational, moral, ethical, and religious training of the child, the medical, psychiatric, surgical, and preventive health care of the child, and the discipline of the child; that children owe to their parents respect, obedience, and affection; that the role of the state in the family is limited and should only be asserted when there is a serious threat to the family, the parents, or the child; and that extraordinary procedures established by law are meant to be used only when required by necessity and then with due respect for the rights of the parents, the children, and the institution of the family.

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