The thing that bothered Jughead the most about the police investigation was how unapologetic they were about how crappy his life was. It was all laid out on paper, all the ways he fell through the cracks. They knew he had a record, they knew he had a crap dad, they even knew about the bullying by the jocks. And here they were, trying to use it against him. He clenched his fists as he refused to cooperate. They didn't even try to force his dad into rehab or any type of program for gang members. Hell, they even went so far as to say he was born on the "wrong side of the tracks" so screw them. Like there was something inherently wrong with living in a trailer instead of a house.
His only relief is that they somehow had no clue whatsoever that he had been more or less homeless for quite a long time. They investigated him and yet were completely oblivious to the fact that he had been living under the stairs in the school. This may or may not be part of the reason for his declaration to not talk anymore, or at least not until a lawyer is provided. He was a smart kid, resilient too, and they didn't give him enough credit. He knew his rights. What kid ended up in juvie for a spell and didn't, to be honest. He read up a lot on it over the years, both in fear of this kind of situation and in some weird hope that it would prevent him from falling in his namesake's footprints.
While he didn't get a lawyer, he did get to speak to Betty, and he knew she would go front page exposé on their unfounded accusations. They hadn't talked about what they were just yet but he knew she was on his team regardless. She promised.
Fred Andrews was working on getting him out and establishing an alibi. He knew it was a lie since he hadn't even really seen the Andrews most of summer. He had spent most of it between Pop's and the Twilight Drive In, not doing construction work. Hell, he wasn't even supposed to be in town that week since him and Archie were supposed to go on a road trip, byt of course his friend had bailed so that wasn't going to be a good alibi anymore. He wasn't sure how sturdy this new alibi would be, but he was happy it seemed to be working. They didn't have any real evidence for grounds to keep him locked up. On his way out, he turned back towards the sheriff.
"I get it. I'm an outcast. I always have been and always will be. What I don't understand is how you all have some sort of documentation on all the bad things in my life and never so much as lifted a finger to help. I didn't do anything wrong, but maybe before you go pointing fingers, you should look in a mirror. If you think I needed revenge, then why would you ever let it get that far? Especially in a school that so proudly proclaims to have a zero bullying policy. Admit it, you let me fall through the cracks. I'm not going to take the fall for that. I was just a kid and yet here you all are, treating me like a criminal over leaps in judgment. Aside from fingerprints you knew would be there, you have virtually no proof. Think about that for a bit. I am not my father." With that, and being cleared by Freed Andrews, Jughead walked right out the door and straight into more trouble.
It was the kind of trouble he originally wanted there, but after all this talk, he no longer believed his own father could do anything but validate Sheriff Keller's well-established belief. They stopped the hurricane known as FP Jones and stepped out onto the concrete sidewalk. He lightly laughed. It had cracks. Like cracks in a sidewalk.