Adolescence on Netflix: Thoughts from a Criminal Defense Attorney (Spoiler Free!)

Premiering on March 13, 2025, the miniseries “Adolescence” is already the third most watched series in the history of Netflix. The heart pounding show follows a 13-year-old British boy accused of murdering a female classmate and the impact of the crime upon his family and the community. The story unfolds in four episodes, starting with the day of his arrest and ending thirteen (13) months later.

Before the lawyer stuff, I have to add that I have three kids – two in high school and one in middle school. I won’t mince words. As a father, this show shook me to my core. From the moment the boy is ripped from his bedroom by the police in an early morning arrest to the final, heartbreaking episode wherein his father tries in vain to make sense of it all, I was riveted and terrified. Bravo to Netflix for supporting a program that highlights the struggles of both kids and parents in an internet age and encourages difficult dialogue.

As a criminal defense lawyer, though, I have fielded calls from friends and family asking me dozens of questions about the show’s accuracy. So here it is:

The Arrest

Yep – that’s pretty much what it looks like. In the show, police (in force) break down the door of a quiet, residential home with guns drawn, screaming at the suspect’s parents and sister. The arrest occurs within the first minutes of the show and the continuous shot with no breaks accurately depicts the chaos and terror most people experience when police effectuate an arrest warrant. It is important to remember that police use this tactic on purpose. In addition to using “shock and awe” as a safety measure to prevent a suspect from violently resisting arrest or fleeing, it also disarms a suspect and may result in a person being more likely to give a statement to the police. On the whole, this scene is pretty accurate.

The Interrogation

Because the show takes place in England, there is no Fifth Amendment and police can interrogate a suspect regardless of whether he or she answers their questions. In the first episode, the police question the boy with his father present. Some of this scene was fairly accurate, but there were some differences from America and “real life” as well.

First, they conducted their interrogation immediately after arrest, which is not uncommon here. However, it is becoming more and more common for police in America to attempt an interrogation before charges are issued, which is more likely to persuade a suspect to talk.

Second, apparently in England a suspect is provided with a lawyer during questioning, free of charge. In the show the family does not have a private lawyer and police arrange for one to be at the police department within about 20 minutes. While our Constitution does require a free lawyer during questioning, in reality this rarely happens. Most of the time when a suspect demands a lawyer the police simply do not bother to interrogate. Of course, this is likely because most lawyers would not advise a client to sit for questioning, anyway.

Finally, the method of interrogation was similar to that of police in America. Police usually start by asking questions to which they already know the answers to in an effort to measure a suspect’s truthfulness and possibly confront them with demonstrable lies at a later point in the interrogation. Without “spoiling” anything, the police absolutely hold back information they possess until late in the interrogation after the suspect has already committed himself to certain statements.

I have blogged about this before, and I will repeat it again:

DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE WITHOUT A LAWYER!

The Role of Social Media and Security Footage in Criminal Investigations

The crime itself has a backdrop in social media use by teens. The show depicts teens whose self-esteem and sense of morality is deeply impacted by the public opinion of social media applications. Misogyny, toxic masculinity, and alienation are all themes explored.

I have seen this firsthand in dozens of cases over the last decade. At least once a year, I represent a student who received a lewd picture over text from his girlfriend and sent it to just one friend – and then the entire school has it. Most high school students do not understand that this is considered distribution of child pornography. I have represented many young students who have “vented” on social media by threatening or describing a bomb at school or school shooting. Obviously, police and prosecutors are going to take these comments most seriously. Often, my young clients do not have the maturity or foresight to comprehend their comments are taken as truth instead of voicing frustration or a joke.

Social media is also a source of evidence. According to somewhat reliable teenagers (my kids), texting is virtually a thing of the past. Snapchat or other applications are more commonly used to electronically communicate. Once police have access to your phone, they have access to virtually everything you have ever done or written on that phone, even if it was manually deleted. I have more than a few clients who gave themselves away by social media communication.

Finally, Closed Circuit Television (“CCTV”) has completely changed criminal investigations. I have a number of cases on my desk right now wherein a Ring Camera is evidence. A few years ago my Firm represented a defendant charged with Murder in Camden. There was so much private and government camera footage of our client that virtually every single move he made in the city on the day of the murder was captured on camera. This does not even include the number of cases wherein cell phone cameras are used to capture evidence. Bottom line: now more than ever our actions and words in public are likely to be captured on a video recording, and thus used as evidence in court.

Differences Between America and English Legal System

While the show primarily avoids the courtroom, there were depictions of the British Criminal Justice System that are worthy of note and (possibly) run better than here in America. First, while the initial arrest was a chaotic scene, it was noteworthy that police used no violence in effectuating the arrest. The show puts a finer point on this in the first episode when the suspect’s father complains to the detective that police threw his wife and daughter to the ground when they entered the house. The detective points out that police are trained to only order someone to the ground, rather than throw someone to the ground. The suspect’s sister then chimes in and confirms that this is what actually happened and none of them were touched.

Second, I found it fascinating that police brought an “appropriate adult” with them to the arrest. An appropriate adult is a person who provides support and advocacy to a juvenile in police custody. In the show the appropriate adult is a social worker who stays with the suspect throughout the initial arrest process until the father arrives. This highlights the systemic protections afforded to juvenile suspects in England. Finally, I was impressed with the professionalism of the law enforcement depicted in the film. They are not portrayed as necessarily “nice” or “perfect,” but they did their jobs fairly and (for the most part) dispassionately. In one scene, the police explain to the father that they need to take photographs of his son while undressed to determine if signs of injury are present. The father, understandably, becomes very upset – screaming at the officers. Rather than overpower or scream back to assert their authority, the police calmly allow him to vent and then explain the entire process in detail until he acquiesces. I know this is a TV show, but those officers were very well-trained. They understood that the father was upset and showed compassion and empathy in performing their duties. By treating him as a human being, rather than barking at him to “stop obstructing,” the father calmed and they were able to complete their task without using any physical force at all. Having seen too many body worn camera videos wherein police escalate rather than de-escalate conflict, this is a lesson American Police would be wise to take away.

Worthy of a Watch

As a criminal defense attorney, this show rang true. Juvenile matters are always complex and difficult. The balancing of immaturity and youth and criminal responsibility is hard. Adolescence is a fairly realistic depiction of a serious juvenile criminal case.

If you are the parent of a teenager, I have no hesitation in designating this show as required viewing. At a bare minimum, it may provide parents with some insight into the challenges and drama that our children encounter in an age where they get their information, and more, from the internet. The show offers no clear answers, but it absolutely raises deep and necessary questions.