Teenagers can get in trouble very easily. That’s probably because they have all those hormones and emotions running wild through their bodies. Things can go from bad to worse and you might even face unwanted scenarios involving your kid being arrested.

Don’t worry; here are 5 steps that you can take if such an unfortunate scenario develops. But remember, first and foremost, you should go to a legal team experienced in defending juvenile crimes.

• Stay calm
• Don’t act as a lawyer
• Share info with your attorney
• Gather what you can
• Speak to your kid

When you first hear the news, you should stay as calm as possible and assess the situation. Keeping your composure is ideal when you hear something as dramatic as your kid being arrested.

It’s important to keep your cool and not rush into judging your kid or the police officers. Also, before you go there, try to find out as much about the situation as possible. When you get to the station, try to talk personally with your child. Still, you must understand that you will have limited rights.

Feelings of anger and disappointment towards your child must be kept until the ordeal has passed. As we said, you should contact a specialized attorney as soon as possible. If you start and act as a lawyer, you might get your kid to further incriminate himself/herself.

You and your kid shouldn’t say anything until there’s a lawyer present. Even if you have good intentions, you might be waiving your kid’s rights or you might agree to your home being searched, so leave these things to professionals.

Any information that might help your kid with his/her case should be passed on to your lawyer as soon as you can. In order for the attorney to try the best case for your kid, you must keep him or her properly informed about anything.

Any detail can become something of value, so don’t keep anything for you. Things like what witnesses can be used to favor your child or your child’s medical conditions are key elements that must be communicated to your attorney.

In the worst-case scenario that your kid will go to court, you should collect documents and reports that speak to his character. Any records of various achievements or certificates are a plus, so keep an eye on them.

Character reference letters are important, so choose wisely whom you might want to write them. Report cards from school will also work.

Last but not least, you shouldn’t ignore your child. Take him/her home and address the situation properly. Inform him/her of everything that is going on even if it might become incredibly painful or difficult.

So that you don’t turn it into a traumatic event, you need to reassure your kid that you’re there for him/her. It’s an incredibly difficult thing for a young mind to process being arrested. Stay supportive but firm as you have to work together for the best results.