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Should A Teen Offender Be Charged As A Criminal As Well?

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Since 2007, bullying has been capturing the attention of the nation as a result of teen suicides and a push for stricter legislation regarding bullying. The most common thing among the majority of publicized cases is that each teen was bullied by their peers. Only one case resulted in charges being brought against the perpetrator. If an adult is violent or threatening towards another person, they can be charged with assault and battery. Should a teen offender be charged as a criminal as well? Things similar to this occur even outside of the school hallways. These laws are supposed to create a safe environment for teens, but they have not. Bullying is beginning to grow into a serious problem. Anti-bullying laws are an ineffective way of preventing …show more content…

Representative Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, calls them “essential skills” and introduced a bill in May to support their inclusion in education (Brackett & Divecha 1). A recent analysis of social and emotional learning programs (SEL) showed that these programs reduce problem behaviors, increase academic success, improve self esteem, and enhance relationships between teachers and students (Brackett & Divecha 2). Ryan feels these programs are more effective than anti-bullying programs because they foster a positive school environment and focus on building up both teachers and student’s emotional well-being (Brackett & Divecha 2). Some schools choose to tackle the problem by punishing the perpetrator. Others try to “rehabilitate” those who have been caught bullying. Incorporating both of these programs into a school campaign will achieve the best results. In order for these anti-bullying programs to be effective, teens need to be willing to speak up and report bullying cases to teachers. They should not stand around the hallways and not do anything. They need to understand what bullying is, and they need to understand that it does not just occur in the schoolyard. Bullying can happen anywhere, and it can happen via text and social media such as the internet, Facebook and

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