A criminal defense lawyer knows about a broad range of research on the topic of illegal behavior and how that relates to providing legal representation to various clients. A practitioner of Criminal Law in Kutztown PA knows, for instance, that young adult men are the most frequent offenders compared with any other demographic. That is particularly true of violent crimes.
Peak Age Range
The peak age for committing a criminal offense is below 25, according to research data. Interestingly, statistics indicate that people tend to outgrow their compulsion to commit crimes. Since one reason for stricter sentences is to keep the public safe, an attorney practicing criminal law in Kutztown PA might use this research as part of a defense strategy.
An Example
Consider the case of a 40-year-old man who commits assault. It could be argued that this defendant, who has had a clean criminal record until now, is unlikely to offend again. This can be an especially effective defense if some extenuating circumstance could shed light on why the assault happened now. For example, the man might have assaulted another man after finding out this person was having an affair with his wife.
Immaturity: Psychological and Neurological
The immaturity of young offenders also is taken into account. That’s a main reason that juvenile offenders generally receive more lenient sentences than adults do, except for the most heinous acts of violence. Not all defense attorneys represent minors, but the immaturity defense can effectively apply to older teenagers. People at this age can have an exaggerated sense of what they believe they can get away with and may feel invincible to a certain extent. Being arrested and charged with a crime is a terrifying moment.
Neuroscience factors have been uncovered that relate to these statistics. Full development of risk and reward centers in the brain is not complete until the person is in the mid-20s, which can lead to riskier behavior.
Legal Representation
A person who has been arrested and charged with a crime may receive legal representation from an organization such as the Law Offices of Paul S. Missan. Browse our website to get started.
