The Juvenile Justice Symposium returned this week for Colorado college, high school and middle school students and their families. The program teaches kids and families about criminal and juvenile law and school discipline.
Program founder and Recht Kornfeld Shareholder Lara Marks Baker discussed criminal issues that seem to plague youth in Colorado, like underage drinking, drinking and driving, sex offenses and drug offenses.
Baker’s presentation covered a wide gamut of issues, including how new technology plays into criminal investigations for minors. Snapchat, in particular, is an area Baker said she sees often in discovery for criminal cases against minors.
While Snapchats seem to disappear after 24 hours, Baker stressed to the symposium audience on Jan. 22 in Aurora that attorneys and investigators often have the ability to retrieve data from Snapchat, including location pings.
Baker also noted that a lot of information can be stored on cellphones. For example, health care applications may record information about walking patterns, which may become evidence if there is a question about whether someone with a phone in their pocket is stumbling or walking up and down stairs.
Baker explained the differences between felony offenses, petty offenses and misdemeanors. She also noted the types of scenarios that may open kids and teens up to criminal charges, like being in a car or at a party with a controlled substance or alcohol.
Audience members asked Baker complex legal questions like what classifies as “possession” for drug charges.
The presentation also included information for adults or parents of children who may be well-intentioned but could be criminally charged themselves for contributing to the delinquency of a minor or other charges.
While interacting with the audience, Baker noted parents who keep or leave edibles or marijuana in their car before letting their child borrow the car may open their child up to criminal possession charges even though the drugs are not their own.
Fake IDs are another area Baker covered in the presentation. She explained — in addition to it being unlawful to have or use a fake ID — that kids could also become victims of identity theft while trying to secure a fake ID, depending on what information they’re transmitting to someone creating the fake ID.
Baker also outlined the basic protections in the U.S. Constitution and covered the essentials of civics.
Law Week previously reported that in the American Bar Association’s 2024 Survey of Civic Literacy, more than 6 in 10 respondents said the general public isn’t informed about how democracy works. At the same time, more than a third believed the public is primarily responsible for safeguarding democracy, according to the key highlights of the ABA’s report.