When minors break the law, they and/or their parents or legal guardians may be responsible to pay for restitution to repay any victims for loss, damage, or personal injury. In addition parents or legal guardians must pay for drug and alcohol abuse testing, care and support of the institutionalized minor, and cost of legal services. These charges can quickly add up to substantial amounts for the minors, parents or legal guardians. Indigent families are given more time to pay fees. Rates for various services will change from year to year.
Parents pay for detaining their children
List of Charges to Be Paid By the Parents
Fee Description
Fee Amounts and Comments (Rates as of November 2004)
Restitution
The court may order the offender and his or her parents or legal guardian to pay for all losses the victim(s) have suffered as a result of the crime.
Restitution Fine, Fine, Penalty Assessment
The restitution fine, fine and penalty assessment shall be set at the discretion of the court and commensurate with the seriousness of the offense.
Cost of collecting Restitution Fine
Juvenile probationers shall be charged for the cost of collecting court-ordered restitution fines based on the actual costs, but not to exceed 10% of the restitution fine amount.
Cost of Court-ordered Testing for Drug and Substance Abuse
The court may order juvenile probationers, parents or legal guardians to pay for drug and substance abuse testing at the current rate of $11.30 per test.
Cost of Care and Support of County-institutionalized Minors
Parents or legal guardians of juvenile probationers shall be billed for reasonable cost of support of their minor children while placed, detained in or committed to any institution pursuant to an order of the juvenile court. The current rate is $23.90 per day.
Cost of Care and Support of State-institutionalized Minors
Parents or legal guardians of juvenile probationers shall be billed for reasonable cost of support of their minor children while placed, detained in or committed to any institution pursuant to an order of the juvenile court. The current rate is between $5.00 and $7.64 per day.
Cost of Legal Services
Parents, spouses or other persons liable for the support of a minor shall be liable for the cost to the court for legal services rendered by the public defender at the current rate of $245.00 per petition, public attorneys and private attorneys appointed by the court at the current rate of $220 per hour.
Juveniles walk to their classes
Probation Department Bills the Parents
Below are four actual examples of bills sent to the parents to pay for probation department service fees, the cost of care and support in county or state institutions, legal and court fees, restitution to victims, restitution fines, fines and penalty assessments.
Parent with Five Teenagers
Description / Age
# of Days
Institution Fees
Institution
# of Hours or Petitions
Legal & Court Costs
Totals
Male age 16
30
$717.00
Juv. Hall
7 hrs
$1,540.00
$1,540.00
Male age 14
1 petition
$245.00
$245.00
Female age 13
1 petition
$245.00
$245.00
Male age 11
10 hrs
$2,200.00
$2,200.00
Male age unk
5 hrs
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
Parent Total
$6,047.00
Parent with Two Teenagers (charges accumulated over several years)
Juveniles walk to their classes