When good kids make poor choices

Teen life – the happiest time of your life, right?

Footloose and fancy free, no responsibilities, endless hours on the phone to friends, refining your expert negotiation tactics with totally unreasonable parents.

We’ve all been there, but now you are on the other side of the dinner table wondering “who is this dissident before me?”.

Teen life is a crucial time for parents to continue to influence and guide their kids, despite the huge amount of growth and development that takes place.

For some teens, navigating the right path is tricky and they may find themselves in trouble with the law.

Here are two excellent resources that provide valuable insight for parents during this turbulent time.

Understanding the teenage brain. 

We know that the teenage brain is built to seek out new experiences, risks and sensations. However teenagers don’t always have a lot of self-control or good judgment and are prone to engaging in risk-taking behaviour.

This is because the prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain that is responsible for self-monitoring, problem-solving and decision-making – develops last (usually in to the mid 20s).

Hormones are also thought to contribute to impulsive and risky behaviour. Teenagers need to take risks to grow and develop.

The Raising Children website provides some helpful tips for encouraging good behaviour and strengthening positive brain growth.

The legal side.

Social media, the internet and smart phones may make life easier but they can also make it much more complicated. The cyber social scene is real and raises a number of problematic situations for teens including cyber bullying, online predators and indecent images.

Laura Willox, Practice Director and Criminal Defence Lawyer at Timpano Legal warns “It is important to be very careful with what you send and what is being received by you. Taking or having indecent photos or videos of anyone under 18 or communicating electronically (eg by mobile phone or online) with children under 16 in a sexual manner may be a criminal offence.”

Other common criminal charges that young people might be faced with, include activities related to driving, drugs and sex.

See Timpano Legal’s informative guide titled Criminal Law Basics for Young People which warns of the types of behaviour that may be criminal and the potential penalties that may apply.

Timpano Legal – Compassion | Honesty | Excellence

As Perth’s leading criminal defence team, we address the legal, social and personal needs of our clients as linked and not separate issues.

If you or a loved one are in trouble with the law, whether you’re innocent or guilty, Timpano Legal can help you formulate the best strategy, and navigate the right path, both legally, and personally.

For a free 15 minute initial consultation, please call 9221 7777.