Criminal Law and College Students in New Jersey

There are hundreds of thousands of college students attending school in New Jersey. Currently, New Jersey has about 60 accredited colleges and universities. Some are well-known like Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, Monmouth University, and Princeton University. On the other hand, some may not as well-known, such as Ramapo College of New Jersey, Kean University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Rowan University. Because of this, many parents and their children consider New Jersey to be an ideal state to pursue higher education. However, a student’s time in college is not immune from the laws and regulations that govern life in New Jersey. For students, and the sanity of their parents, it is important to have access to experienced criminal lawyers when trouble arises.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Some college students obtain identification documents that misstate the student’s true age – a fake ID. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the use of fake IDs, serious legal issues can arise.

Under New Jersey law, “A person who knowingly exhibits, displays or utters a document or other writing which falsely purports to be a driver’s license, birth certificate or other document issued by a governmental agency and which could be used as a means of verifying a person’s identity or age or any other personal identifying information is guilty of a crime of the third degree.”

Another example of a law directly affecting college students would be New Jersey’s Hazing and Aggravated Hazing statute.

Students seeking to participate in a college fraternity or sorority need to be mindful of this law. There have been plenty of high-profile cases regarding hazing and the consequences for the accused are severe.

The above two examples are just two of the many ways college kids can get in a jam. Knowing the rules of your educational institution is important when you are attending college.

College Kids Are People Too

Sure, students can land in hot water at their schools. Likewise, they can run afoul of other criminal laws. College students can also be charged with:

• Assault
• Burglary
• Domestic Violence
• Drugs possession and distribution
• DUI
• Homicide & Murder
• Sex Crimes
• Shoplifting
• Trespassing
• Threats
• Weapons offenses

…and more!

As you can see, some of these charges are very serious. As a result, those charged have much to lose including their entire future.

So, if your child has been charged with a crime in New Jersey, get legal representation as soon as possible. In other words, hire a lawyer immediately.

In the meantime, please call me with any questions or if you need any help.