The Death Penalty and Youth Offenders

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The death penalty is the punishment of execution given to someone legally who is convicted of a crime. Nowhere in this definition does it say the age necessary to be sentenced the death penalty. A murder convicted by an adolescent is just the same as a murder convicted by an adult. The death penalty is a serious consequence and should be sentenced to the appropriate criminal no matter the age. The death penalty should be available to be sentenced to certain crimes to prevent the youth from committing a much more serious crime. Some youth criminals are unable to be rehabilitee and then the world saves one from becoming a sociopath.

The death penalty is the best method used as a consequence to youth offenders. Even though the death penalty sounds horrible, the crime that the criminal did was even worse. The punishment can also be used as a deterrent to stop other minors from committing the same crime. Giving the death penalty does not only punish that individual, but also teaches other minors a lesson by making them not want to go through the criminals punishment as well. Chances are that an adolescent criminal has multiple friends around the same age that would be told of the incident, as the criminal’s friend they will then realize that being around those types of kids is not good. Also, they will see how badly affected the criminals friends and family are for their horrible crime and not want to do the same. In the article “The Death Penalty for Juvenile Offenders,” Judy Regan and Ann Alderson, directors at the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, declare “the type of punishment chosen by state legislators and courts for juveniles who kill should attempt to deter future juvenile offenders” (pa...

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...o the extent of the death penalty to decrease the death rates caused by minors.

Works Cited

Regan, MD, Judy. Ann Alderson. “The Death Penalty for Juvenile Offenders.” Tn.gov. Tennessee Medicine Oct 2003. October 2003. Web. 9 Mar 2014.

Scott, Shirley L. "What Makes Serial Killers Tick?" Psychopaths? —. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

Hutchison, Katy. "Restorative Practices to Resolve Conflict/Build Relationships: Katy Hutchison at TEDxWestVancouverED." YouTube. YouTube, 10 June 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2014

Hampikian, Greg. "When May I Shoot a Student?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

"Simon & Schuster." The Green Mile. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014

Regan, Judy, and Ann Alderson. "The Death Penalty For Juvenile Offenders." The Journal. F Tennessee Medical Association and Tennessee Medicine, Oct. 2003. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

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