he said no, i asked you to leave. >> she's on probation for battery. and there is some type of impulse control problem here. it leaves me very concerned. >> perfect situation for finally meeting my dad. he left letters for me for when i grew up. sounds luke a nice guy. >> you're very immature, like a kid that don't want to grow up. >> i wanted to get it overwith. my momma never steered me wrong.

>> hello? hey, mom. they told me that -- that they'll release me from here if i plead guilty. if i don't plead the guilty plea, there is a chance they send me across the street. if they send me across the street, then i'll be facing the charges over there. yes, ma'am. i love you, too.

>> aaron? come on out. >> i tried to go straight. driving is just my thing. i just like driving. that's what gets me in trouble all the time. my whole life has always been taking somebody's car. >> over the past six years, 17-year-old aaron ashburn has become a familiar face at lake county juvenile. >> yeah, this will be your last picture as a juvenile. >> with his 18th birthday days away, aaron finds himself back behind bars. this time he was picked up on a bench warrant for failing to appear at his last court hearing in a neighboring town in illinois where he was charged with battery. >> i missed a court date, i think. >> right. >> i came down here. so i just forgot about it. it was a little battery. i was fighting someone. i didn't realize that i missed a court date. >> to make matters worse, he is still on probation for attempted auto theft and battery here in lake county. the department head tries to get aaron to understand just how severe his situation is.

>> that was your eighth complaint. you have been detained with us five times and you've been here for a total of 161 days. you didn't know that? you were at placement for how long? >> nine months. and you are at silver state for how long? >> 15 months. >> so what do you want the court to do with you? >> well, want to go home. it's probably not even a possibility right now. i hope i can go home, if anything, give me a commitment. don't send me across the street. if they send me across the street, i'll have adult felony. my life will be ruined if i get adult felony. >> over there they don't give a crap about rehabilitation. they're not going to want you to go to placements or get counseling and they're not going to ask you what happened in your

life. they don't care. so at what point are goug to let it soak through, maybe do something different? >> here in the juvenile court system, there are more options available to kids than there are in the adult system. >> speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god? >> the juvenile court was created to provide services to kids and families to make them better adults. >> for 26 years, lake county juvenile judge mary beth bonna venture has been making tough decisions that aim to get kids like aaron back on track. >> they're coming back to our community. and so i want to do everything i can do first before i send them to the doc, department of corrections. >> because of aaron's age, his long history with the juvenile system and the fact that he is still on probation for attempted car theft and battery, the stakes are much higher this time. aaron has already been warned that the prosecutors office is looking at waiving him to the adult system. >> i have a bad record. so i was just bad.

i say please don't take my life away from me. to me, that's taking my life away. there will be three adult felonies. >> aaron admits he has an unquenchable thufrt for taking cars that aren't his own. his other vice, playing escape artist. >> my staff called me to let me know he was trying to be a trickster and had a detention officer bring him up sunday night for the release for the weekenders. and our intake officer noticed that, no, he's not a weekender. he's not supposed to be leaving. he tried to convince her, yes, i am. i'm a weekender. i don't belong here. i'm supposed to go home. i came in on friday. i need to go home. my mom is going to pick me up. she really tried to convince her. >> if staff let me walk out that door, think would come after me and my job would be on the line. you have to understand that the mistakes you make affect everybody else around you. stop being slick. >> the staff made a mistake and put it in my paperwork.

>> see. regardless, you knew you weren't a weekender. you knew you weren't supposed to be, you know, seeing freedom. this wasn't the first time he plotted an escape. a few years back he made a bold and daring run for it when he bolted out of his hospital room window where he was being treated for stab wounds. get stabbed by who? >> i was liking this girl and she liked me and she had a b boyfriend. he cut me six time. the police are like, yeah, we're taking you to jail. i was like what? i'm the victim. i'm like i'm not going to jail. so i tied a couple sheets together and climbed out the window. >> but right now, escape is not what is on aaron's mind. going adult jail is. >> they want to charge me as an adult because i've been taking

too many cars and i'm a menace to society and i belong behind bars. i think i have a decision making problem. that's what i think i do. because when the decision comes, i know right from wrong. oh, yeah, that's wrong. but i do what i like to do instead of what's right. i do what i want to do. >> figuring out the stressors that contribute to kids leading to juvenile is never an exact science. some come with serious crimes. some minor offenses. 16-year-old yelled repeat offender air anna is back after being released barely a month ago. >> are awe leatheric to anything? do you have any health problems? no? >> you've been suicidal in the past. and you never received counseling for it? >> no.

your mom left you? what was your reason? what made you change? what made you not think of suicide anymore? >> my brother. >> your brother? that's a good reason. how old is he? >> 11. >> 11 years old? >> i do have two young brothers and the one older brother. i've really been taking care of my two younger brothers since i was 13 because my mom's always been at work. i basically raised them. >> is he upset right now because you're arrested? was he with you guys? >> no. >> so you had to see the whole thing? >> ar achlt. in na's hopes of having a fun fwri night at football were put on hold even before the game started. after being expelled, her return

to the campus was an unwelcomed sight for the principal who quickly summoned the police to escort her off the grounds. >> i was going to a football game. it was supposed to be me and my mom and fwhoi brothers. my mom had to leave to take her boyfriend home. she was going to come right back. and so we go to buy tickets and then they come up and she says because i don't go to that school, i couldn't go. so i had to leave. and she had the police come in my face. >> according to police reports, she resisted officers and verbally abusive. she says with her little brother as already inside the game and nobody to tell them she was about to leave, she was faced with a difficult choice. i ignore police instructions and find her brotherors leave them completely unsupervised. luckily for the boys, arianna's

mom arrived at the last minute. >> are you angry right now? >> yes. >> why? >> do you think you have anger problems? no? do you need the court to help you? you don't need the court's help? >> do you understand you're on probation. this kind of looks bad on you. >> complicating ariann's case is two prior offenses. her last day in court came with a warning. >> the probation officer told me if i got into any more trouble i'd have to go to girls' school. so i am real nervous. with the threat of girls school still fresh in her mind, she gets ready for another weekend in detention followed by another day in court and an outcome that

could means away from home. >> i'm trying not to think about it. it doesn't make me real nervous. i just don't know what's going to happen. usually i have an idea. this time i don't. >> there are five of you. fighting with one lone person. >> yes. >> and you beat up this victim, right? >> we've been hearing immature comments. >> you're like a hid that don't want to grow up. maybe she wants the all natural, zero calorie stuff. but if you're wrong, you're insinuating she's fat. save yourself. it's only natural. congratulations. congratulations. today, the city of charlotte can use verizon technology to inspire businesses to conserve energy and monitor costs. making communities greener... congratulations. ... and buildings as valuable to the bottom line... whoa ! ... as the people inside them. congratulations. because when you add verizon to your company,

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many of the underlying problems that land kids in detention are the result of defiant teen behavior mixed with stress at home. often older kids are caught in a difficult role of assuming the adult responsibilities of a single or absent parent. for airy anna who often cares for her brothers, being away from home is a tough situation and it is worse.

>> i can't take it in here. three days locked up not doing anything. that's not good. after a while, you start to get a little crazy. some seem to be so happy. how are you happy and you're here? how do they do that? nationally, 30% of juvenile arrests involve bonds zblment most of my friends are look locked up. >> there are a few girls that are good friends to me. i can relate to them a lot. and they're just really kind of me. just like me, i guess. a lot of stories. a lot of hardship. >> marie has a history of arrest for running away. her problems began when she was

a very small child. >> well, my mom died when i was a year old. and i never knew my dad. one of my mom's sisters adopted me when i was about 9 years old. but she had breast cancer and she got a divorce. i went to my grandma pa's house. that didn't work out. i got sent to my aunt's house and i just don't get along with them. i had major depression. i don't want to go to school. i used to be 245 pounds, too. i was huge. it was bad. >> if ever there was a time for someone, a system to intervene if their life, it's now. that's what the juvenile court does best. that's what our role is, to provide for all the services to help somebody grow into a responsible, productive person. >> in moo ma ree's case, she can get the help she needs. >> they sent me to a place that will help my attitude and lose

weight and everything and help my self-esteem. i got happier. >> marie will be released in less than a week. with nowhere to go, she'll be moving on to a court ordered independent living program. they teach you how to be independent. you get your own place. you work your way up. you get your job. you go to school. you earn money. you get an allowance. you just learn how to be an adult. >> the main thing that i'm after is getting my education. i don't really have what i need to get there. i don't have a familiarly to support me. zroi i don't have any money. i don't know what to do. all i know is i can get my high school i did ploem yachlt. >> so four more days. >> though marie doesn't know what she'll doer when life yet, she does have one wish. >> perfect position for me meeting my dad. i've read those. sounds like a nice guy.

sounds like he cares about me. probably trying until i was 18. >> for marie, turning 18 means freedom. but for eddie, becoming an adult could mean the end of his. with a long history of juvenile arrests, aaron is now a prime candidate to be waived to a new court. the one bright spot in aaron's life is a visit from his mother. >> happy belated birthday. did you enjoy your birthday? jail? >> i did not. >> now that aaron is 18, the court deciding whether to deal with him as a juf juvenile or waive him to adult jail which is it located across the street. >> if you do go across the street, i want you to build knowledge. you're not going across the street for nothing. you have to improve yourself and become more than just being across the street. you hear me? >> i'm not going there though. this should be the end of mine -- >> i hope not. you're very immature. you're like a kid that don't

want to grow up. you just don't hear me out. >> i do be hearing you. >> you just want to do what you do. i believe that this is happening to mature you. because you know what it's going to be like on the streets for you. death. right? it was really bad out on the streets for you. yet, you were still out there. you've been stabbed. you've been beat. you know, it's been bad. if you want me to continue to be a part of your life, son, you have to get it together. i'm not about this here. no more. you're an adult young man now. so think about all of that. you hear me? >> i'll take that thought. >> run with that. don't take that and say i'm

going to do this. that's the attitude it takes for it to happen. i'm going to do this. hear me out, son. >> my relationship with my mom is good. she's my best friend. she's disappointed in me for being back here. i told her i wasn't going to come back. i miss my mom so much. you don't know what you got until it's gone. >> you just told me you weren't involved in any of this. >> i know. that's what i told him. >> i think that until her probation is over and she needs to have some restrictions. there are consequences to your actions. . . so i like control in the rest of my life... especially my finances. that's why i have slate, with blueprint. i can create my own plan to pay down large purchases faster... or avoid interest on everyday items. that saves me money. with slate from chase, i'm always in control. financially, anyway. get slate with blueprint and save money. call 855-get-slate today.

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>> the other thing i'm going to ask you to do, find a place where you can fellowship. find a place where can you fit in and fellowship. >> for years msnbc has been documenting the tragic stories that enfold in america's juvenile justice system. with extraordinary access from the indiana supreme court, we go inside a world where cameras are by law forbidden. >> how are you going to do that? you're going to do it on your own. did you try do it on your own before? did it work? >> for some of the kids locked

up in lake county juvenile, the pressures are more than most teens can imagine. never has this been so painfully clear than what 16-year-old arianna gets a visit from her mother. >> you can't go to girls school. because it's like you're the center of the household. you can't go to girls school. what is everybody going to do? >> going to girls school means going to juvenile prison. a frightening prospect of its own. but arianna also has to face what her absence could mean to the welfare of her entire family. >> on top of that, i have to pay your fees while i'm here tomorrow. that is $110 plus the money i lost saturday. >> because her mom works swing shift it's local factory, it's up to arianna to help raise her brothers and handle household chores. >> you got to get it together. i feel like i'm having panic attacks. you're not home, i can't talk to you. i didn't do work friday. i couldn't get it together. staid at home.

i tried to get your brothers to stop crying. >> it's ridiculous. >> sometimes you just got to hold up, be quiet. don't say nothing. these are temporary emotions. >> i won't even give them a chance to walk away. as soon as they seen me, they had the police all in my face. i was crazy. and then they did it in front of everybody. >> i have to giddyap. i have to get to the stores before they're closed. we need groceries. so i guess i'll see new the morning. and then we'll be going home afterwards. >> i hope so. i don't want to deny the charges and then have to sit and wait for another court date like everybody else. you have to sit in here and wait. and then you go on trial. like i said, the police officer

against you. i've been here twice. who do you know how to believe. >> so you're saying you're guilty just to go home? >> it's crazy. >> you can't go to girls school. because you'll be home tomorrow washing dishes and cleaning up, hopefully. >> okay. i have to go. see you in the morning. >> all right. >> can court scheduled for the next morning, arianna prepares to spend what she hopes will be her last night in detention. >> i just hope i get to go home. if anything worse comes, house arrest, i guess. girls school is, from what i've heard, like it's just the worst thing. >> over in the boys pod, 18-year-old aaron ashburn knows even boys school would be better than what he'll be facing in the morning. >> tomorrow is like waiting for

the hearing. they're trying to waive me across the street. detention is killing me. i wish i just knew what was going on. like right now i won't get too much sleep tonight. i'm thinking about the consequences for my actions. i feel kind of anxious to know what was going on. and i feel kind of sad and beat. i tried to beat up myself. i saw everything i put upon myself. my mom told me i need to grow up and be a man. i'm just a big kid. >> one month into the latest stint of detention, the seriousness of his situation is finally sinking in. a stark contrast to the personality on display when he was first brought into lcjc. >> i can't stop getting behind the wheel. >> i was walking down the street. i seen somebody left the keys in the ignition. i took that car, too. >> i have a need for speed. >> need for speed? >> yeah, i've been in two high speed chases. three, four. >> yeah!

>> you have to do what i'm supposed to do. i think i learned this time. i know the seriousness of my situation. i think i learned. hopefully god gives me this chance to make one of the house arrest bands and i can work my way from there. >> with less than 12 hours to go before court, the kids at lake county juvenile invent their own ways to relieve the stress. ♪ >> the night before court is never an easy one. tomorrow arianna and aaron will go before the judge. arianna who is already on probation risks being placed in girls school. but aaron faces the toughest punishment the juvenile courts can dole out, being waived across the street to the adult jail. >> i disagree with the probation department's recommendation.

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more than two million people are without power in the northeast right now. it's a rare october snowstorm pummels the area. the storm is causing severe delays at airports. new jersey and connecticut declared a state of emergency. a new des moines register poll out shows that herman cain and mitt romney neck and neck in iowa. cain gets 23% of the vote to romney's 22%. ron paul finishes a distant third. more news later. now back to "lockup." >> today is court date at the lake county juvenile center. judge mary beth bonnie venture and her five fellow judges will hear more than 5,000 cases in a year. some will be simple detention hearings while others will be trials for serious offenses.

16-year-old ar achlt nna spent the weekend in detention for disorderly conduct at a high school football game. it's not her first time in juvenile. two previous trips to this courtroom, the judge will have to decide whether arianna should remain locked up or be allowed to go home with her mother. >> i want to tell the judge the whole story and just let her know that i am going to school. i have changed a lot since the last time i have been to court. >> with the long tense weekend behind her, it is finally arianna's turn to tell her story. >> tell me what happened. >> me and my brother and a friend, we was going in line to get our tickets to a football game. and the principal had stopped me. she said well i don't go to the school no more. i had to leave or i had to go to the other side. and she came up, she came up with the police officer. i said okay. well i have to get my brother's first. he said no, i asked you to leave. the man put the handcuffs on me

and then he took me to the police car. and that's when my mom pulled up. and he told her i was cussing at him and all this. >> were you? >> no, i wasn't. >> no more questions, judge. >> arianna, are you on probation? >> yes, i am. >> what are you on probation for? >> for battery and driving without a license. >> what did that battery involve? >> me and my friends and fighting a female. >> you and your friends, how many friends? >> i think it was five of us. >> there were five of you fighting with another person, right? >> yes. >> with one lone person? >> yes. and you beat up this victim, right? >> yes. >> then you say you didn't do anything, right? >> right. >> you weren't saying anything? >> i wasn't saying anything to him. >> you weren't screaming profanities at him?

>> no, i wasn't. >> how was it you became arrested then? >> i don't know. >> i have no further questions, judge. >> all right. thank you. you may have a seat back there. >> the purpose to have day's hearing is to determine what should happen to arianna. do you have an opinion as to what the court should do? >> i want my daughter home with me. >> how is she doing in school? >> she's doing real good this year. i took her to a different school. i didn't want her with the same people. >> do you believe the environment at her former school was part of the reason why she was having her anger problems? >> yes. >> so you recognize the problem and did something about it? >> yes. >> okay. >> are you able to provide supervision over her? >> yes. >> when do you work? >> i work swing shifts, rotating backwards. >> and explain that in a little more detail. >> i finish midnight and i start afternoons wednesday. >> with such an irregular work schedule, it falls on arianna to

take over the responsibilities alt home and play mother to her two brothers, a source of much frustration for her and partially why she finds herself here today. >> when i finish, i may or may not have a day off. and then it's back to mid nights, rotating backwards. >> okay. that's all that i have, judge. >> thank you. you may have a seat. >> to get a final perspective on the case, the judge calls on the probation department for their recommendation. arianna knows that department's testimony could make or break her case. as high as the stakes are for arianna, aaron is facing the ultimate punishment for a life of juvenile crime, being waived to the adult system. >> i'm ready to get it overwith. i'm 18 now. i'm ready to move on in my life. i'm going to make a different page. i'm tired of this juvenile jail stuff. tired of jail, period. >> how are you? >> good morning. how are you? >> i believe his attorney is going to speak with him.

>> aaron learns that his attorney has worked out a plea-bargain. if he accepts the deal, aaron will get to stay in the juvenile system. if he doesn't, aaron will most likely be heading across the street to adult prison on multiple felonies. >> i want to talk to my mom. i need personal counseling. >> i remember they say if you don't do it, don't plead guilty. >> it definitely got some soul searching to do to make a decision. >> hello? >> hey, mom. they told me that if i plead guilty they'll release me from here no probation, no nothing. if i don't plead the guilty plea, that there is a chance they send me across the street. if they send me across the street, then ail be facing the charges over there. yeah, because i was thinking like maybe i'll just get it overwith here and then go down there and see what they want to do down there. >> just days past his 18th

birthday, aaron is already faced with an adult decision of epic proportions. go with the guilty plea and remove adult jail time from the table or follow his mother's principled advice, he should not plead guilty to something he says he didn't do. that's what i'm going to do. yes, ma'am. i love you, too. >> are you all right? >> do you have any idea what you're going to do? >> i want to go ahead and plead guilty and get it overwith. my mom steered me wrong. >> not wanting to disappoint his mother, aaron chooses to walk down the righteous path of the truth will set you free. it's a huge gamble on his future to please his mom. especially if aaron isn't being honest about his innocence. something only he can know for sure. >> what should i forward on to

your attorney? >> not guilty. >> he's the only person that can make that decision. you know, you can't let anybody else influence him. so time will tell. >> i'm going to plead guilty. i want to assure that i can get back here. >> you just told me that you weren't involved in that. >> there is an element to her that does endanger herself and others. and that needs to be addressed by this court. it could be very abrasive. if the surface gets abraded, it's just the environment that bacteria likes to nestle into and they can cause the odor. your denture needs to be cleaned gently on a daily basis. i like to recommend polident, it kills the bacteria without causing any abrasion. when my patients follow my instructions, their dentures feel clean and fresh. they look forward to putting them in their mouth and smiling. to bring you a low-priced medicare prescription drug plan.

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and get an update on how this young lady was doing. i spoke to two of her teachers, science teacher and an english teacher. they report that she's very well behaved. she's getting excellent grades. so we do want her to continue her education. we feel it's very important. we also have a concern about some possible depression. so we would like to have a mental health screening and to follow-through with any recommendations. we would like to see her released to her mother's care on in-house arrest so that she can continue attending school. i have spoken to mother this morning and explained to her what our concerns were and what the recommendation would be. >> all right. >> do you have have anything about detention? >> judge, until i heard the mother speak, i was of the mind that she could go home. i'm concerned. she's at the football game.

her mother leaves for a brief time and this is when this problem arises. and then her mother testifies that she works a swing shift and arianna is basically not supervised in the home. you know, she's on probation for the battery that was described. she was arguing with a police officer, whether she says she was or not. there's some type of impulse control problem here that arianna has that leads me very concerned. i think there is an element to her that does endanger herself and does endanger others and that needs to be addressed by this court. >> judge, the mistakes she made was to wait and find her 10 and 11-year-old brother. apparently their feet weren't moving fast enough for the police officer at that point. shaz why she's in here. judge, i would agree with the probation department's recommendation that the systems for the depression be ordered. but i disagree with the probation department's recommendation she be on house arrest for a fight at school and for not leaving a football game fast enough. i think that is overkill.

>> thank you. >> with all the testimony now in, the judge weighs her decision. >> the decision the court made today is twofold. one is if there is -- is there probable cause this child committed a delinquent act? i think that's uncontroverted. the police officer in the report says she was very vulgar to him and used a lot of profan ti. for her to say she said nothing is hard to believe. you know, minimally, my voice is going to be elevated saying i've got to get my sib ling, at least. and so i think that somewhere in the middle, you know, if you live long enough, you know that somewhere in the middle is the truth. the second decision i have to make is whether or not she remain detained here or be released to the custody of her mother. nothing i heard here today makes me believe that she's a danger to other people or to herself. and so the court is going to order she be released to the custody of her mother. i'm going to place her on house arrest for this reason. until this case is over and until her probation is officer, she needs to have some

restrictions. there are consequences to your actions. but i'll order that she have a mental health screening within 30 days and that you follow those recommendations to address whether or not she has depression and if so what help is out there for her. all right. this hearing is adjourned, thank you. >> thank you, your honor. >> you're going home. >> she's not somebody i think that's a real threat to the community. but more that has some anger issues that, you know, hopefully we can help her. that's what we're designed to do. we have children and they are just doing things for the first time in their life. they're going through experiences that we as adults have experienced maybe too many times. but the adult system isn't equipped nor doee services from counseling to drug testing to vocational training to all sorts of services that would help rehabilitate somebody. >> to have somebody actually fight for me to get out, it feels pretty good. >> released. >> i think everybody has depression issues at some point in their lives.

i know i'm not crazy. but i do think i need to be in therapy, yeah. i think i do. but i guess that could be a good thing. >> while arianna heads home, aaron's attorney meets with him to discuss his decision to follow his mother's advice and turn down a plea-bargain. aaron and his mother are hoping police will be unable to show probable cause that aaron committed the crimes for which he's accused. >> the prosecutor's office is giving you this wonderful opportunity to try to get this case resolved. are you aware as to believing that they won't have enough evidence to find you. >> i know they don't. i didn't do it. >> the police officer is saying you basically fled from this vehicle and they chased you down and they were on a foot pursuit pursuing you, that led to your arrest. >> i don't even know nothing about -- >> were you driving a white xpigs at any time around that time period? >> no.

>> no. >> you never took off running? >> no. >> you say none of that happened. >> none of it happened. >> all right. well then i'll let state know that you're going to not accept the proposal that was offered to resolve your case. >> aaron's complete denial of all wrongdoing puts a troubling new twist on the situation. >> it wasn't the plea guilty to. this i want to assure that i can get back here. >> you just told me that you weren't involved in any of this. >> i know. that's what i told them. >> but i can't have you -- i can't have you go ahead to an admission. >> with aaron denying the charges against him, his toern will tell the prosecutors office they are rejecting the final plea agreement. aaron will have to take his chances that the state will be unable to prove its case against him. >> it's an uphill climb, right? just so you know. >> i understand that. >> okay. >> i'll be in touch. >> oh, man. >> with so much at stake, residential supervisor jamie wants to make sure aaron really

understands the consequences of his denial. >> once you have an adult charge, you have no opportunity whatsoever of that charge going away like you do with a juvenile charge. >> you're looking at two felonies right now at 18 years of age. so that's not a good start. do you accept this resolution. you get your life straightened out, go to school, go to job. show the court you're on the right track now. my life is in order and the court will consider that in its determination. >> we going to tough it out. >> okay. >> i really feel good when i can help get a youngster on the right path. but unfortunately sometimes they're their biggest obstacle. >> aaron says one of his biggest concerns is the outstanding bench warrant for battery that remains in illinois, even if he takes the plea gement and gets

outs of lcjc he'll still have to mace the fusic across the state line. that along with his mother's continued advice to fight this out has aaron completely confused. >> yeah. i'm kind of surprised, aaron completely confused. >> i'm surprised. most of the kids think they can make their own decisions without parental input. so him to be so concerned at 18 of his mom's concerns it's unusual. >> i noah i wanted to do but my mama never seemed to be like i said be on my side. >> okay. >> if they cupped the plea he is a lucky man. whoa. how do you top great vacations? whoa. getting twice the points on great vacations. whoa! use chase sapphire preferred and now get two times the points on travel, and two times the points on dining and no foreign transaction fees.

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while the juvenile justice system moves more quickly than

the adult system for difficult cases like aarons the days can pass into months. has now been 60 days since aaron turned down a plea bargain based on his mom's advice that he shouldn't plead guilty to something he claims he didn't do. aaron could be facing adult jail time. he is tired of being locked up and ready to do whatever it takes to get out. >> ready to go out and have a birthday. >> admitting guilt is the only way that aaron can be sure his case will stay in juvenile court. >> you ready? let's do it. kneel down, please. you know this is your waiver right? >> they said if i plead guilty they will drop something. >> have you agreed to do that? >> your plea bargaining it?

yes. >> your mom in agreeance with that? >> no. >> how is she going to feel if you accept it? >> i don't know. >> how do you feel? >> i'm 18 and i have to make decisions for myself. i'm not a bad kid like that i just went down the wrong path. i'm ready for the right way now. i'm ready to get it over with now. >> all right. hope it all works out for you. >> better to get it over with. no more probation or restrictions on my life. get a good job and get this behind me, you know what i mean? >> three months in detention has changed aaron's perspective but as he makes his way to court his decision to accept the plea faces another painful test.

[ indiscernible ]. >> in the face of his mother's continued opposition to the plea bargain his will crumbles. >> i thought you wanted to move on with your life? >> i did. >> you have to make a decision. >> the judge will probably just say let's set up a waiver and i'm not going to accept it any more. >> you have to decide now. >> you have two minutes to make a decision. >> come on. >> are you doing the plea agreement then? >> come on. >> while our cameras wait outside aaron enters the courtroom for one final chance to enter a plea. >> if they accepted the plea,

he's a lucky man. if they haven't he's in for a long process yet to come. >> what aaron decides in the next five minutes will affect his future for years to come. [ indiscernible ] >> as aaron struggles to speak his mother makes her opinion clear.

>> aaron's refusal or inability to speak forces the judge to decide for him. the judge's decision eliminate's aaron's chance at a plea bargain. the next court appearance is a waiver hearing where the state will make a case for handing aaron over the adult system but that is not what is on aaron's mind. [ indiscernible ] >> because you took the plea? >> it is. you have to take risks and admit when you are wrong. i did things that i shouldn't have did and they give gau me

the opportunity. i didn't know what to do. i was lost. i didn't have my mom's support. i always had my mom's support. i just made it worse. i don't know what to do, man. it's like telling me to choose something i couldn't choose. that was the worst thing she could have ever did. she never did nothing like that before. i feel like if i ain't got my mom i ain't got nobody.