What Happens When Your Child Is Charged With a Crime in Philadelphia?

Learning that your child has been arrested or charged with a delinquent act is a parent’s worst fear. You worry about detention, school expulsion, criminal records, and their future prospects.

Fortunately, Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system operates under different statutory principles than adult criminal court. The Juvenile Act (42 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq.) emphasizes balanced and restorative justice, rehabilitation, and accountability rather than adult punishment. Philadelphia juvenile defense lawyer Mark D. Hauser, Esquire, brings over 30 years of defense experience to protect young people and their futures.

How the Juvenile Court Process Works

• Delinquency Petition: Instead of adult criminal complaints, the District Attorney files a petition alleging a “delinquent act.”
• Detention Hearings: Held within 72 hours if the juvenile is detained at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC).
• Adjudicatory Hearing: The trial where a judge (not a jury) determines whether the Commonwealth proved the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
• Dispositional Hearing: If adjudicated delinquent, the court determines the appropriate supervisory or rehabilitative disposition.

Diversionary Programs and Record Expungement

Many first-time or qualifying juvenile allegations in Philadelphia can be diverted into pre-adjudication programs, community service, or counseling. Successfully completing diversion prevents a formal adjudication of delinquency. Under Pennsylvania law, qualifying juvenile records can be sealed or expunged, protecting educational and career aspirations.