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Juvenile Justice
People have been debating for years whether juveniles should be punished as adults if they commit the same crime as an adult. People’s arguments are based on different studies: imaging on the brain showed undeveloped parts that mainly control emotions and actions in adult’s brain, and other studies showed that the juvenile crime rate is not equal between countries which weaken the “theory” of undeveloped brain causing these actions from teenagers. I strongly agree with the minority decision of the United States Supreme Court that juveniles should be punished even if it requires a life sentence in prison without parole because every action should have consequences. By punishing teenagers as adults, it can be an
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example for other teenagers who think to commit an awful crime or kill someone and put their families in a huge pain and sorrow. The studies showed that the brain is fully developed at the age of twenty-five; yet at the age of eighteen, we are considered as adults. Moreover, we are granted full rights: voting, buying a house, buying tobacco. But the most important change is taking full responsibilities for our action, although “the adolescents brain responsible for controlling thoughts, actions and emotions are not fully developed” (Juvenile Don’t Deserve Life Sentence). For example, if my classmate who is “lucky enough” to be seventeen and half years old and I who is eighteen years old, committed the same crime together, I would be sentenced to life prison without parole but he or she will be tried in a juvenile court because he is only seventeen and half. In my opinion, I don’t see huge differences between seventeen and half and eighteen years old who even might be in the same classroom studying the same thing that the Supreme Court decides to treat both of them unequally although both of them in scientific terms are still unable to take good decisions. As the crime rate increase, people start questioning what to do to lower the crime committed by teenagers but I think that the only way to do so is trying juveniles as adults because it would solve the problems from its own roots.
If they are tried as adults, they can set an example for other teenagers who are thinking about committing a crime for any reason. For example, In “On Punishment and Teen Killers,” Jenkins said that her younger sister who was pregnant and her husband were shot by a teenager for no reason except of the fact that he wanted to know what it feels to shoot somebody. Despite of serving three life sentences in prison which some people may disagree with because of his age, it is hard to believe how dangerous he could be to other people if some day he was released to live among us. Although it is hard to think that someone could do this awful crime at certain age, it still doesn’t change the fact that he did it and caused a huge pain and sorrow to their family that could affect them for years. In my opinion, a crime is a crime and for that reason Juveniles who commit violent crimes should be tried in the same way as adults. Also, the decline that occurred in most of the U.S. during the past decade coincides with the fact that most states now permit minors to be tried as adults for violent
crimes. A misconception that some people have according to Jenkins article is that people think that the United States is the only country in the world that sentences teenager to life prison without parole. In fact, there are more than eleven nation that tried juveniles as adults even in many inhumane ways. On the other hand, people think according to Grainger’s article “Juveniles Don’t Deserve Life Sentence” that juveniles in prisons are not given access to education and rehabilitation programs which is also proven to be wrong according to “Kenneth’s Story.” In this documentary, it was shown that Kenneth had his GED from the courses and classes he took in the prison even when he had four life sentences. Moreover, the crime rate committed by teenagers is different between countries which shows that the undeveloped brain is not the only factor in these actions but there are other actions that should be considered to help today’s teenagers to overcome their difficulties rather than thinking about how to punish them after doing the crime. In conclusion, I believe that juveniles should be sentenced to life prison without parole if necessary because most of the crimes that I have read show effort and planning to commit them. This proves that most teenagers are conscious while doing these crimes and are aware of what they are putting themselves into. For example, a seventeen year-old girl who slowly poisoned her parents each night at dinner until they were found dead on the kitchen floor. This also ties with my first paragraph because that this girl in less than a year she would be granted the right to vote to determine the future of the next generation. Moreover, as a personal experience in Egypt, teenagers are tried as adults depending on the crime which I believe why the juvenile crime rate is lower in Egypt than the United States which proves both my second and third paragraph.
Reaves, Jessica. ¨Should the Law Treat Kids and Adults Differently?¨ Time.com, Time Inc, 17 May 2001 content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,110232,00.html.
The article titled “ Juvenile Justice from Both Sides of the Bench”, published by PBS, and written by Janet Tobias and Michael Martin informs readers on numerous judges’ opinions on the juveniles being tried as adults. Judge Thomas Edwards believed that juveniles should not be tried as adults because they are still not mature enough to see the consequences of their actions and have a chance to minimize this behavior through rehabilitation programs. Judge LaDoris Cordell argues that although we shouldn’t give up on juveniles and instead help them be a part of society, however, she believes that some sophisticated teens that create horrible crimes should be tried as adults. Bridgett Jones claims that teens think differently than adults and still
Even though juveniles brains’ aren't developed at the age they committed the crime, they should be able to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. However, four justices strongly agree, mandatory sentences reflected the will of America society that heinous crimes committed by juveniles should always be punished. The majority of Supreme Court justices who argued to abolish mandatory life in prison for juveniles. Researchers around the world agree with this statement because juveniles don't have a fully developed brain or have rough homes. Many juveniles have don't first degree misers and second degree murders. I stand against abolishing mandatory life in prison. In my opinion Juveniles, depending on the the crime should be sentenced
It is expected that at a young age, children are taught the difference between what is right and what is wrong in all types of situations. The majority of Supreme Court Justices abolished mandatory life in prison for juveniles that commit heinous crimes, argued this with the consideration of age immaturity, impetuosity, and also negative family and home environments. These violent crimes can be defined as murder, rape, armed robbery, aggravated assault and the like depending on state law. With these monstrous acts in mind the supreme court justices argument could be proven otherwise through capability and accountability, the underdevelopment of the teenage brain and the severity of the crime. Juveniles commit heinous crimes just like adults
Thousands of kid criminals in the United States have been tried as adults and sent to prison (Equal Justice Initiative). The debate whether these kids should be tried as adults is a huge controversy. The decision to try them or to not try them as an adult can change their whole life. “Fourteen states have no minimum age for trying children as adults” (Equal Justice Initiative). Some people feel that children are too immature to fully understand the severity of their actions. People who are for kids to be tried as adults feel that if they are old enough to commit the crime, then they are old enough to understand what they are doing. There are people who feel that children should only be tried as adults depending on the crime.
Age is a factor in why Juveniles should not be sentenced to life in prison. As Paul Thompson states in his article Startling Finds on Teenage Brains from the Sacramento Bee, published on May 25, 2001 “ ...These frontal lobes,which inhibit our violent passions, rash action and regulate our emotions are vastly immature throughout the teenage years.” he also says that “The loss[of brain tissue] was like a wildfire, and you see it in every teenager.”. This loss of brain tissue plays a role in the erratic behavior of teens, they cannot properly assess their emotions and thoughts. During this period of brain tissue loss teens are unpredictable, adults do not know what their teen’s next move will be, teens themselves do not even know what their next move will be. As we grow our brains develop, therefore teen brains are not fully developed, so they cannot be held to the same standards as adults.
Juveniles deserve to be tried the same as adults when they commit certain crimes. The justice systems of America are becoming completely unjust and easy to break through. Juvenile courts haven’t always been known to the everyday person.
"Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time." -- David Grusin and Morgan Ames
once the minor has committed a violent crime, they are no longer a kid. The minor had the ability to know right from wrong, but he still chose to commit the heinous crime anyway. Choosing to commit this violent crime means that the minor chose to act as an adult and must be held accountable. Once the minor has made the decision to act as an adult, they must be treated as an adult. If we do not teach minors that what they did has consequences they will never learn. Arguments can be made that minors should not be treated as adults and while these arguments do have merit, they are not my beliefs. In my opinion, minors who commit violent crimes need to be tried as adults. Justice does not discriminate when it comes to age. Right is right, and wrong is wrong and the wrong should be punished equally.
Today?s court system is left with many difficult decisions. One of the most controversial being whether to try juveniles as adults or not. With the number of children in adult prisons and jails rising rapidly, questions are being asked as to why children have been committing such heinous crimes and how will they be stopped. The fact of the matter is that it is not always the children's fault for their poor choices and actions; they are merely a victim of their environment or their parents. Another question asked is how young is too young. Children who are too young to see an R rated film unaccompanied are being sent to adult prisons. The only boundaries that seem to matter when it comes to being an adult are laws that restrain kids from things such as alcohol, pornography, and other materials seen as unethical. Children that are sent to adult prison are going to be subjected to even more unprincipled ideas and scenes. When children can be sent to jail for something as minor as a smash and grab burglary, the judicial system has errors. The laws that send juveniles to adult prisons are inhumane, immoral, and unjust. Kids are often incompetent, which leads to unfair trials. Adult prisons are also very dangerous for minors, and in many cases this leads to more juvenile crimes.
While many argue that juveniles who commit serious crimes, such as murder, should be treated as adults, the fact is, juveniles under the age of eighteen, are not adults, and should not be treated as such. Juveniles are not mature enough or developed psychologically, and, therefore, do not consider the consequences of their actions. In the article, “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains” by Thompson, the writer argues that juveniles are not adults. Their brains develop at different stages and they learn skills that they need to learn at a certain time.
Crimes are most associated with adults. Murder is especially most associated with adults. When a teenager commits such a crime such as murder they must be tried, and they should not be treated with leniency and coddling, but with the full force of the law as an adult.
For instance, juveniles do not deserve life sentences because their brain isn’t fully developed yet and lack awareness of their actions. In the article “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains” by Paul Thompson, he explains the development of the brain and how in some situations the brain isn’t ready and it can affect the person. This effect in divergent ways; psychologically and emotionally. Thompson's article introduces the case of Nathaniel Brazill, at age 14, charged with second degree murder, trial as an adult and sentenced to life in prison without parole. After some serious research, it has shown that as many other juveniles who have committed a crime they are “far from adulthood”.
Throughout a human’s more vulnerable years, they are more susceptible to engage in irrational activities. Their actions are influenced by their family, the people they interact with, and the environment in which they live. On October 13,1994 5-year-old Eric Morse was dropped 14 stories by a ten-year-old named Johnny and by an eleven-year-old named Tyrone. They were tried as adults and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Some people may agree that they should tried as adults, but they deserve to be tried as juveniles because they possess no knowledge of the judicial process.
In today’s generation there are many children and teens that commit crimes to satisfy their self being. Every day we see in the news about the reasons why children or teens commit crimes like murder or homicide. Sentencing juveniles to life in prison is not a right response to prevent homicide and serious murder, because their brains are not fully develop and the bad environment they live in. Teenagers or children need to be remain unformed of preventing crimes in today’s society. With this said, juvenile’s mental brains, backgrounds and growth are the reasons why they are not proficient to maintain themselves in a prison cell.