Disorderly Conduct by Juveniles

Criminal Law
A disturbing trend of teens coughing on produce at a grocery store has attracted the attention on police in Virginia (Nexstar Media Wire, 2020). Law enforcement officers have increasingly concerned about the viral video tricks, which are posted on social media. Some of the juveniles questioned by the police about these activities have stated that there was no actual criminal intent in their actions (Lewinski, 2020). The disturbing trend has come at a time when coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country. While some of these juveniles have argued against any criminal intent in their actions, they could be charged with disorderly conduct. In the United States, disorderly conduct is normally classified as a misdemeanor or infraction. People are charged with this type of crime when they act or behave in a disruptive way that disturbs the peace of others. In addition, disorderly conduct comprises extremely offensive behavior that intentionally disturbs public peace even in the absence of any danger.
The aged of the alleged offenders could influence the charges and/or punishment for their disorderly conduct. Based on existing criminal law and statutes, misdemeanors or infractions like disorderly conduct can result in a sentence of up to a year if carried out by an adult. However, for juveniles, jail or prison sentences do not always apply since they cannot necessarily be found guilty of committing a criminal act. Given their ages, the alleged offenders could be fined or be subjected to administrative consequences. Nonetheless, the alleged offenders could face serious charges or punishment if they are repeat offenders and their actions pose significant risks on public safety. In essence, disorderly conduct charge and/or punishment can result in severe consequences for the alleged offenders based on several circumstances including whether they are repeat offenders and public safety risks caused by their actions. These factors are likely to be taken into consideration if the alleged offenders are charged with disorderly conduct.
References
Lewinski, J.S. (2020, March 22). Police Investigate New Social Media Meme of Teens Coughing on Shoppers. Forbes. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnscottlewinski/2020/03/22/police-investigate-new-social-media-meme-of-teens-coughing-on-shoppers/#d6c6ba57dd95
Nexstar Media Wire. (2020, March 21). Police Investigate ‘Disturbing’ Video of Teens Coughing on Produce. Fox 5. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://fox5sandiego.com/news/trending/police-investigate-disturbing-video-of-teens-coughing-on-produce/