Children Who Kill Nancy Traver Analysis

These days’ children are causing more harm than good in their communities, and it isn’t their fault. In the Time Magazine article, “Children without Pity” by Nancy Traver, Traver provides examples of corrupted children performing acts that healthy kids wouldn’t do. Their misguided past has affected their present causing them to react in violent behavior. For this reason, I believe that children should not be tried as adults. Kids have only seen and grown up around violence, so violence is what they result to. Psychologist, Patrick Ewing, the author of “Kids Who Kill” provides information that “Knighton has only vague memories of beatings by his father” suggesting that Knighton was always surrounded by abuse (Traver 2). Since Knighton and other kids are raised poorly, it shouldn’t be a shock that they treat others horribly due to their challenging childhood. “Young people committing seemingly motiveless killings were themselves sexually or physically abused,” says Patrick Ewing, suggest that many of these kids are victims to abuse (Traver 2). We see these kids as cold hearted and ruthless when in all actuality, they need help to recover. Only the chance to rehabilitate is offered when it’s to late and they have committed a crime. These kids aren’t wise enough to realize that these actions have

They reason that these kids are too far-gone and can no longer be saved but that simply isn’t the case. The Times Magazine article states, “ Knighton was sent to the Better Outlook center… Because he was considered cooperative and well behaved Knighton had nearly two years shaved off his sentence” suggesting that these kids can get better. If we throw them in prison with serial killers and rapist, that may make the recovery process even more challenging. Of course, it will take time but with enough effort, these kids can learn to be stable human