Front page reporting of most crimes ends with the arrest. A short-sighted teen may conclude that the punishment will be slight and the person arrested will soon be freed.

If the crime were shoplifting or driving under the influence, very few people, even adults, would know exactly what the punishment would be. Most teens would say it depends on the crime, the circumstances, lawyers, and a lot of other details you see in TV lawyer shows. Because of these vague aspects, your teenager might not have a clear understanding of the likely and possible consequences.

This lack of understanding can keep the deterrent aspect of our justice system from having its best effect on your teen. In the mind of a child or budding teenager, the confusion can lead to some magical thinking. "They'll probably get away with it." "The lawyers will get them off."

Unfortunately, many of the consequences require long-term thinking - not a familiar task for a teenager.

My older brother, Clif, got rowdy with his high school friends one evening and blocked a main road in our Chicago neighborhood with oil drums they had found. "What have we got to lose?" was their chide when my brother hesitated. Clif didn't know.

The first car to encounter the obstacle was an unmarked police car. My Dad got a late night call, "We have your son at the station for blocking a highway. Our night magistrate gave the boys a talking to, no charges. You need to come and get him."

"Do you have a jail?" my Dad asked.
"Just an adult jail with two drunks sleeping it off."
"I'll be down first thing in the morning."

The shadow of a conviction lasts a long time in these days of high-tech data banks. The system never really forgives you. Everyone gets to know, even a teen gets to keep no secrets. The information filled in on job, school, and loan applications is easily checked and you can't just "not tell them" anymore.

Teens are likely to belittle a parent's warnings of consequences, but Clif had learned his lesson that evening. Keep your kids up to date on how the system works. Not just the short-term TV story - add some long-term details so they know what they have to lose.