Criminal Behavior In Young Adults

Youth are unable to make certain decisions for themselves, nevertheless they can be held responsible, when charged with criminal activity, to adult standards. Parental neglect, poverty, no self worth and low self esteem increases a young individuals risk factor for criminal behavior. Although teenagers are commonly identified as young adults, they have yet to acquire the experience of the different aspects of life.(from book) How is the young population expected to do something successfully, if the necessary skills are not present? Children and teens are too incompetent to be tried to the standards of an adult. At the age of 15, Alonza Thomas ran away from problems at home only to open up a whole new world of problems for himself. He wasn’t a big trouble maker and had no criminal record, until he was locked up for thirteen years, in adult prison, for armed robbery. After running from home, he met a man, went to his apartment and stayed for a little while. Alonza was fed and provided with a place to stay. Despite this, when the 15 year old wanted to return home, he was threatened at gunpoint. The man told Alonza that he had to rob the Fastrip gas station

In the case of Alonza Thomas, he was threatened by an adult to rob the gas station, however this was not taken into account when sentencing him to thirteen years, in adult prison. “Many minors are influenced by adults, to do things, they would not ordinarily do.” says defense attorney H.A. Sala. Furthermore, Aloza says that he was scared and felt he had no other choice. (Green)
A juvenile does not have the mental capacity of an adult, so why try them to the standards of an adult? From the age of thirteen to nineteen the brain and body is in a stage called adolescence. During the adolescent development period, both psychological and physical changes will occur. This period of time is filled with both confusion and