Can Juveniles bail out of Juvenile Hall?
The standard answer to this question is “no” juveniles cannot be bailed from Juvenile Hall. The more complicated answer is yes, or sometimes yes, but most of the time no. there are very limited circumstances that allow a juvenile to be bailed from custody.
The California adult correctional system has been established with the goal of punishment, the juvenile justice system has a much different goal. Treatment and rehabilitation of offenders. California’s juvenile justice system has a broad array of programs for addressing juvenile crime, depending on the severity of the offense and the background of the offender. Including fines, treatment programs, detention, incarceration, and community supervision. The system provides for escalating responses to offenses of increasing severity, i.e.; informal probation, formal probation, and detention. Because the juvenile system has a goal of rehabilitation in mind, many more agencies have a role to play in the Juvenile system than in the adult system.
Juvenile justice gives police, probation officials, and the District Attorney broad discretion over juvenile offenders. Upon arrest, the police may release the juvenile to his or her parents or if the crime is serious, take the alleged offender to juvenile hall.
The state legislature has modified the juvenile law known as Proposition 21 so that a minor can be transferred from juvenile court to an adult court and be tried as adult in specified serious or violent felony cases, even if the he/she is as young as 14. In most juvenile crime cases a judge may determine if it is appropriate to make such a transfer. In certain serious juvenile criminal cases the DA may charge a minor in adult court directly.
When a juvenile is charged with a serious or violent crime, and the DA and or court moves forward under Proposition 21 the Judge can set a bail amount for the juvenile offender.
Gold Country Bail Bonds is experienced with handling juvenile prop 21 bail bonds. We have secured releases from both Juvenile Halls and County Jail facilities.
In all juvenile cases you should consult with an attorney for legal advice. Juvenile cases are complicated.