Argumentative Essay: Should Children Be Tried As Adults

1276 Words3 Pages

There are currently several debates on whether children who commit violent crimes should be tried as an adult or not. The main controversy is that children should not be put into jail with big, scary, adults who have committed crimes much larger than their own; however, the child still broke the law and should serve the consequences. Some people believe that the child grew up with a hard life and was beaten physically or mentally causing them to do what they do; therefore, making them think that they need to be helped and not thrown in jail.

To be tried as an adult, the juvenile must commit a serious crime, such as: aggravated murder, a serious felony offense, and they also must have probable cause to believe that the child committed the offense. But there are also several alternatives if that happens. For example, the court may impose sentences in a secure DYS faculty, making the …show more content…

. . should be to look only at the fact that they engaged in the same behavior, so treat them both the same as adults,” says Judge Ladoris Cordell (PBS). Several citizens feel that children should be tried as adults. In a court case that occurred in 1997, an 11-year-old shot and killed an 18-year-old. Prosecutor Sean Colston felt that children should know right from wrong and should be punished for their actions; children should go to jail and learn from their mistakes. He also thought that maybe jail will teach them to never break the law again (Should Children be Tried as Adults?). Teens are being tried everyday and receiving shortened sentences and being released, causing their victim’s families and also the victim to suffer forever. The courts and juvenile rights both believe that second chances should be given to youths who commit crimes; although, criminals are walking the streets everywhere whether old or young (Teen

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