Violent Juveniles Should Be Tried as Adults As the gravel hits the judges block, everyone is amazed at the verdict. Guilty! A juvenile is sentenced to life in prison without parole. When someone read this in a magazine, newspaper, or even a media website, what goes through that person’s mind? Why is this juvenile being tried as an adult, he or she is just a kid? Should a minor who commit violent crimes be tried as an adult? Juveniles are young but can know what is right from wrong. “Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time.” Minors need to be held accountable for their actions. If a juvenile has acted like an adult, they should be treated like an adult. All actions have consequences, no matter what age. Much controversy exists on the …show more content…
Research shows that factors differ from inherited personality traits, chemical imbalances, and damage inside the womb can increase the odds that a child will become violent (Walkins 78). Experts say that no one is predestined to a life of crime. Experts believe that neglect, poverty, repeated abuse, media violence, and access to weapons play a major role of turning juveniles into criminals. In a quiet city of New York, Eric Smith, thirteen-year-old boy cut off a four-year-old boy named Derrick Robie when he was on his way to the City’s recreation program. Eric told Derrick could show him a short cut there. Without any hesitation Derrick set off with Eric to the recreation program. Derrick never made it. Unfortunately, that same day Derrick’s body was discovered badly beaten (Walkins 101). Jon Venables and Robert Thompson of Liverpool, England made international news headlines when the two juvenile boys were convicted of murdering James Bulger, age two. Both boys were only ten years old at the time of James death. Jon and Robert intentionally lured James away from his mother in a shopping mall, took him to a nearby railroad track, beat James brutally and left him on the tracks to be cut in half by a train (Walkin