The Riverside CA Juvenile Hall

(A resource guide for anyone whose children are detained at the Riverside Juvenile Hall)

The Riverside Juvenile Hall is under the command of the County Probation Department. With a bed capacity of 187, Riverside Juvenile Hall is the largest in the County. While detained here, your child will have access to a number of programs and activities including school, G.E.D. preparation, exercise programs, religious services, mental health counseling, and other programs designed to prepare your child once he or she leaves the facility and be part of the community again.

Located at 3933 Harrison Street, Riverside, CA 92503-3523

Below you will find information about the following:

• A birds-eye view on juvenile criminal cases and procedure



• Juvenile Detention Hearing




Will my child be in custody after the detention hearing?




• Juvenile Arraignment and Pretrial Date




What happens if my child is released after the arraignment?




• Juvenile Court Trial/Adjudication



• What should I do if my child was arrested?



• How to contact a child detained at the Riverside Juvenile Hall



• Rules and regulations on mail correspondence at the Riverside Hall



• Juvenile visiting procedure and schedule for the Riverside Juvenile Hal



• Discipline at the Riverside Juvenile Hall

We also invite you to visit our pages on Riverside criminal defense lawyers and Riverside DUI attorneys. Adults in custody in Riverside County are generally housed at the Robert Presley Detention Center or the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

For a more general discussion of juvenile law issues, see our pages on the juvenile court process, when minors can be prosecuted as adults, and how to seal California juvenile records.

A bird's eye view on juvenile criminal case and procedure

Riverside Juvenile Hall provides a sanctuary for children who are considered to be juvenile delinquents. When a minor gets arrested, he or she will receive a citation for the criminal offense allegedly committed. Depending on the gravity of the crime, the child may either be released or sent to a detention facility like Riverside Juvenile Hall.

The Riverside District Attorney must file a petition within 48 hours from the time that the child was detained (not including weekends or holidays). If the petition is not filed within the 48 hour window, the law requires the release of the incarcerated youth.

Upon filing of the petition by the District Attorney, a detention hearing will commence in front of a judge. This is the first court date following the child being taken into custody and will determine the course of action thereafter. Ultimately, the hearing is to determine whether the child is to remain in custody.

Juvenile Detention Hearing

Will my child be held in custody after a detention hearing?

The best interest of the child is the major criterion in a detention hearing. A child may be kept in custody:

• in order to protect him from other people;



• in order to alleviate the threat that the child might pose to others;



• if a prior court order was violated;



• if the child is a flight risk; or



• if detention is otherwise in the best interest of the child.

During the detention hearing, the child's attorney should enter a plea on behalf of the child by either admitting or denying the allegations in the petition. If the minor remains in custody at the Riverside Juvenile Hall, it is his or her legal right to have a speedy trial that must take place within 15 calendar days of the arraignment. If the minor is released after the arraignment, a judgment date is required within 30 calendar days of the trial.

Juvenile Arraignment and Pretrial Date

What happens if my child is released after the arraignment?

When a child is not held in custody, during the arraignment, the child's attorney will normally deny the petition of the District Attorney and will subsequently request a pretrial court date. The purpose of setting a pretrial date is buying time for both parties that will allow for a dialogue to come into a possible plea bargain.

Unless time is waived by the court, the pretrial date must be scheduled within a week from the arraignment if the child is detained. If your child is not detained, the pretrial date normally must be scheduled within 2 to 3 weeks from the arraignment, unless time is waived.

Juvenile Court Trial/Adjudication

Once a juvenile case has been accepted by a juvenile judge for adjudication, the case may go on to trial. In contrast to adult cases, Juvenile cases do not require juries. Instead, a juvenile judge or a commissioner hears the evidence and decides whether or not the minor committed the alleged crime.

If the minor loses his/her trial (i.e. the juvenile petition is sustained), he may be (1) required to spend more time in custody, (2) released to his patents "home on probation", or (3) placed on a foster or group home. In a very serious case (such as murder or robbery), the minor could be sent to the California Youth Authority.

Hence it would be ideal to have a Riverside criminal defense lawyer who knows juvenile court proceedings as well as the juvenile court judges. Law offices who are commonly experienced on juvenile cases are the best candidates to handle your child's case.

For expert legal representation on juvenile cases, please contact our Riverside County criminal attorneys.

What should I do if my child was arrested?

If your child was allegedly involved in a criminal activity, was arrested, and detained at a juvenile detention facility, the first thing you should do is consult with legal counsel. Our Riverside criminal defense attorneys and Riverside DUI lawyers have extensive experience in juvenile criminal cases and will fight for your child's rights.

After consulting with an attorney, it is important for you to work on gathering evidence that will prove the good character of your child. For example, certificate of achievements, trophies, report cards, and recommendation letters from teachers, employers, or religious leaders will be beneficial.

Consequently, it is advisable to tell your child not to make any statement to anyone regarding the case unless counseled by an attorney. Any statements to third parties might be used against the minor in the juvenile court proceeding.

How to contact a child detained the Riverside Juvenile Hall?

Once a juvenile delinquent is admitted into Riverside Juvenile Hall, he or she is allowed to make two (2) phone calls. These calls are restricted to a parent/legal guardian, a responsible relative, the juvenile's employer, or his or her Riverside criminal defense attorney. Any succeeding phone calls will require a court order or an approval from the Supervising Probation Officer or Duty Officer.

For questions regarding your child who is detained at the Riverside Juvenile Hall, you may contact the Duty Officer at (951) 358-4200 during normal business hours.

Rules and regulations on mail correspondence at Riverside Juvenile Hall

The juvenile delinquents who are detained at the Riverside Juvenile Hall may send and receive mail from anyone. However, they may not receive any items through subscription. They will be provided with the necessities in order to correspond with anyone through mail. All mail correspondence will be subject to inspection for security reasons.

Anyone detained at the Riverside Juvenile Hall will be placed on mail review status if any of the mail:

1. Promotes direct continuance of a particular criminal behavior



2. Encourages specific acts of violence or physical harm anyone or contents with threats of suicidal intentions



3. Plans of execution to escape the facility



4. Has any form of illegal substance



5. Advocates any of gang related activities

Juvenile visiting procedures and schedule at the Riverside Juvenile Hall

The visiting hours at Riverside Juvenile Hall are subject to change without prior notice to the public.

Saturday - 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm - Groups 2, 3, & 4

Sunday - 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm - Groups 1, 9, & 10

Below is a list of visiting guidelines for anyone who would like to visit a minor at the facility:

• Each person entering the facility for purposes of visiting a minor detained at the Riverside Hall must be at least 21 years of age.



• Visitors must present a valid Government issued photo identification.
• Proper dress code is enforced. Gang-related attire, sexually expletive images or revealing clothing is strictly prohibited. Clothing that promotes drug use and/or illegal behavior is not permitted.



• No cell phones, hand bags/purses will be allowed in the premises



• All visitors will go through a standard search procedure for security reasons



• No food and drinks are allowed in the premises



• Anyone caught in possession of illegal weapons, contraband, and/or alcohol at county juvenile detention facility will be prosecuted under 871.5 WIC.



• If a visitor appears to be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance, he or she will be denied visitation privileges and will not be allowed in the premises.

Discipline at the Riverside Juvenile Hall

Riverside Juvenile Hall seeks to avoid problems with discipline through mutual respect, cooperation, and positive reinforcement. Your child can only be disciplined by designated staff. If your child is disciplined, the staff member must communicate the specific reasons for the discipline and the relationship between the negative behavior and the disciplinary action taken. All disciplinary will be reviewed by the Supervising Probation Officer or a Duty Officer.

Join us to discuss your DUI case at any of our
local offices: You can also contact us 24/7 at
888.327.4652 for a free consultation