The article goes on to say that over 3,000 people are in prison for a crime they committed as a minor. They say it is done because they are not allowed to give minors the death penalty any longer. They say that for a minor life in prison is the equivalent to the death penalty. It is then brought about that some of these children are under the of 13. The author of the goes on to say that the courts realize that the children doing these crimes are not fully mature and understanding of their crime.
In the article it states, “The court said that minors who commit terrible crimes are less responsible than adults: They are less mature, more susceptible to peer pressure, and their personalities are not yet fully formed.” In this quote the author is reasoning against life without parole because they are less mature and not fully developed. Although all crimes deserve proper punishment, juveniles should not receive life without parole because they are still developing and this punishment leaves no room for a second chance
When Terry talks about how in Illinois lowering the age limit for maximum juvenile imprisonment, it was unclear as to if Illinois lowered the age because of the boys or if it was a recent change. Also, not many sources were used to explain why the boys should be imprisoned. Dr. Perry and Jay Hoffman were sources that had said the boys need to be punished to teach them a better sense of right or wrong, but there was no support as to if that punishment is really the correct solution or as to why should go that route. Jay Hoffman also did not provide a valid reason other than that it’s his “sense of what the public very much wants” for why children who commit an adult crime should simply be punished like an adult. I disagree with the idea of just
I also disagree with the fact that children lack maturity; to a certain level they do as well as some adults. There are some adults that never reached the age of maturity, but that does not mean that they should get a lesser time when committing a crime just because they are not mature. Lastly, I believe anyone is capable of being rehabilitated no matter what age they are; if they have the desire and are willing to put in the work to be reformed, then they should be given that option with strict stipulations (Flynn, E.H,
In all three mediums, the authors and presenters are all averse to the ideas of minors being tried as adults, death row and solitary confinement. I agree in all three cases. Minors should not be tried as adults because they are not adults. While there should be some level of culpability for their actions, it should never reach the point where they are tried as anything other than a juvenile. Many youth, for no other reason than biological constraints, lack the psychological maturity to make logical and well-reasoned choices.
In an article about juvenile justice, it states, “Legislators have finally started to realize that treating juveniles just like adults does more harm than good,” says David DeMatteo, a professor of law at Drexel University in Philadelphia,” (“Juvenile Justice”). This supports Bryan’s claim of how juveniles were misunderstood in the past. This misunderstanding had caused most juveniles to end up in adult jails where they were mistreated and suffered from assault and abuse. Stevenson also stated that, “Many states had changed their laws to make it easier to prosecute children... Alabama had more juveniles sentenced to death per capita than any other state or any other country in the world,” (Stevenson, 93).
America has always been strict with the notion that children are to be treated as such. Legal curfews, age restrictions, and parental controls on televisions are only some examples of how the United States makes one thing very clear: children and adults are not the same. Interestingly enough, the only time that changes is with crime; when the actions of one person negatively affect another. In this case, it is heinous crime, the kind to allow life without parole as an option in conviction. This statement is strongly against such an idea.
(youth.gov) But, sending children to adult court completely conflicts with that idea. This means that children are being punished for something that they do not understand which is unjust in its own right. Some people might respond to this by saying that children would get a more suitable punishment for a crime in adult court. But this argument does not reflect what child developmental science has found. Take some of the children from Lord of the Flies as an example; if they were tried in adult court, they would most likely receive a life sentence because of the two purposeful deaths on the island but if they were tried in a juvenile court system, they would most likely go into rehabilitation.
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
For example, Nathaniel Brazill was 13 years old when he was guilty of shooting a middle school and charged with second degree murder. He says that he made a “stupid mistake” but was convicted of second degree murder not first. In the article, “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains” it says that, “a child is not a man.” Meaning that a child shouldn 't be getting treated as an adult no they
When people commit crimes, there should be disciplined no matter what. Juveniles need to learn that their behaviors have consequences. Why should kids be given any less of a punishment for committing the same crime? According to one author, “Taking a life is murder regardless of the age of the offender, and the penalties to be imposed must not discriminate. After all, the victim’s life will never be returned, and the family will permanently lose their loved one” (“7 Top Pros and Cons of Juveniles Being Tried As Adults”).
There are many children in the world who are being put behind bars and detained for alleged wrongdoing without protections they are entitled to. Throughout the world, children are charged and sentenced for actions that should not be considered as adult crimes. Here in the United States, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is age 12. Law enforcement officials and those in the juvenile justice system nationwide tend to mistreat underage individuals by trying cases while working through the lens of an adult. Unfair punishments are still handed down domestically, which is in violation of Supreme Court law.
Children as young as 14 can be tried as an adult for a harsh crime . If a young adult commits a crime they should be tried as an adult
Juvenile Justice Should juveniles get treated as adults that’s one of the biggest controversy in our nation now days, with many juveniles committing crimes that are inconceivable according to their age. Judges have the last word on how to treat this young people. Many people argue that “the teens that are under eighteen are only kids, they won’t count them as young adults, not until they commit crimes. And the bigger the crime, the more eager this people are to call them adults” (Lundstrom 87). This is why people can’t come to a decision as how these young people should be treated like.
Can you imagine waking up behind closed walls and bars? Waking up to see your inmate who is a 45-year-old bank robber and you are a 14-year-old minor who made a big mistake. This is why minors who have committed crimes should not be treated the same as adults. Some reasons are because the consequences given to minors in adult court would impact a minor’s life in a negative way. If a minor is tried through a juvenile court, they have a greater chance of rehabilitation.
