Juveniles should be treated as adults if they commit a violent crime, such as murder. Treating juveniles as adults for committing violent crimes is a continuing issue that demands careful consideration of various factors, including societal values, legal principles, psychological development, and potential. While some argue for harsher punishment as a means of deterring crime and ensuring accountability, there are compelling reasons to approach juvenile offenders with a focus on rehabilitation and understanding of their unique circumstances. It is essential to note the differences between juveniles and adults when we look at their brain development and decision-making capabilities. D. Romer in 2010 explained how the brain is still evolving, particularly in areas related to impulse control, …show more content…
Juveniles often come from disadvantaged backgrounds characterized by poverty, abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence. These adverse experiences can significantly impact their psychological well-being and behavior, causing them to engage in delinquent activities as a means of coping or survival. S. Young in 2017 explains how failing to address these underlying issues and instead subjecting juveniles to the same punitive measures as adults overlooks the root causes of their behavior and misses an opportunity for intervention and support. Additionally, the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders aligns with the principles of restorative justice, which prioritize repairing harm, promoting accountability, and reintegrating individuals back into society. By providing access to education, counseling, vocational training, and other supportive services, the juvenile justice system can equip young offenders with the skills and resources necessary to lead law-abiding lives and contribute positively to their
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
Thirteen-year-old boy, Cristian Fernandez of Jacksonville, Florida was born on January 14 of 1999 to a mother who was as old as he is today. On March 15 2011, he was arrested relating to the alleged beating of his 2-year-old brother, David. At the time of his arrest, David was under care of St. Luke’s Hospital, receiving treatment for injuries he sustained the day before. It states that Cristian shoved his 2-year-old brother against a bookshelf, causing the young child to have severe head damage. Cristian’s mom, who was only 24 at the time, arrived at the apartment to reveal what happened just moments before. However, it states that his mom did not even call the police or take her son to the hospital until 6 hours after the accident happened. Both Cristian and his mom were charged with murder and Cristian went to court facing life in an adult prison. However, the court found out that Cristian had once been physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by his once stepfather. That been said, Cristian more than likely needed some sort of counseling. However, they still believed that this 12 year-old boy should be tried as an adult. Cristian has been detained for over a year and has not yet had a trial. He faces two trials on three separate indictments brought by State Attorney (“Reverse”). There is no logical reason to deny a child their right to the programs and treatment provided through the juvenile court system.
Although some would argue that juveniles undergo a series of brain development in which they lose brain cells that control their impulses, risk taking, and self-control (Thompson 46). However this lost during development does not excuse juvenile from their accountability, instead they should acquire special attention, proper nurturing and guidance during development in order to help them make better decisions. Thus teenagers accused of violent crimes should be tried and sentenced justly, regardless of age, to ensure the law's equality and educate juveniles regarding the potential severity of their actions' consequences. That is how we'll be able prevent future acts of violence and crimes from occurring in society.
There has always been controversies as to whether juvenile criminals should be tried as adults or not. Over the years more and more teenagers have been involved in committing crimes. In some cases the juries have been too rough on the teens. Trying teens as adults can have a both positive and negative views. For example, teens that are detained can provide information about other crimes, can have an impact in social conditions, and serve as experience; however, it can be negative because teens are still not mature enough for that experience, they are exposed to adult criminals; and they will lose out on getting an education.
Meng, A., Segal, R., & Boden, E. (2013). American juvenile justice system: History in the making. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 25(3), 275-278. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2013-0062
In 1899, the nation’s first juvenile court for youth under the age of 16 was established in Chicago to provide rehabilitation rather than punishment. By 1925, following the Chicago model, all but two states had juvenile courts whose goals were to turn youth into productive citizens utilizing treatment that included warnings, probation, and training school confinement(Cox et al. 2014, p.2). Treatment lasted until the child was “cured” or turned 21. Although judges spoke with the offending children and decided upon the punishment, the lack of established rules and poor rehabilitation led to unfair treatment. In 1967 “ U.S. Supreme Court case of In re Gault held that juveniles were entitled to the same constitutional due process rights as adults, beginning a national reform in juvenile justice and the system was repaired to afford children many of the same rights that adults have in court” (Cox et al. 2014, p.4). Also, state legislatures passed laws to crack down on juvenile crime, as recently, states have attempted strike a balance in their approach to juvenile justice systems as research suggests that locking youth away in large, secure juvenile facilities is ineffective treatment towards different genders in which it doesn’t provide appropriate rehabilitation.
Harassment, reckless endangerment, and burglary are all juvenile offenses. These juvenile offenses almost always stay on the juvenile’s criminal record, and the offenses displayed on a juvenile’s criminal record may cause employers, educators, and other authority figures to think less of the juvenile offender. As a viewer can see, this one mistake or lapse in judgment can ruin the juvenile offenders chance to further their success in life. For example, juvenile offenders may not obtain the dream job that they have always wanted, get into the college that they have always wanted to, or be eligible for a scholarship whether athletic or academic. However, there is a loophole in the juvenile justice system called teen courts. Teen courts give first-time offenders and some re-offenders a second chance because the offense (s) do not go on their criminal record, and their peers get to decide what sanctions the juvenile offender receives or performs. The big question that I am going to discuss throughout this essay is do juvenile offenders who appear before teen courts recidivate?
The dilemma of juvenile incarceration is a problem that thankfully has been declining, but still continues to be an ethical issue. The de-incarceration trend has coincided with a decrease in crime. It is hopeful that our nation is changing the approach to the treatment of juveniles in the criminal justice system. It means we know what to do and what is working, now just to follow through and continue the change to creating a juvenile justice system that is truly rehabilitative and gives youth tools to be able to be positive members of
The juvenile justice system has continued to take steps in the right direction. Scientific evidence concerning the mental development of humans during adolescence has been taken into account. It is more recognized today than it was twenty years ago that juveniles are not “miniature adults.” Instead, scientists have seen that the brain of a juvenile plays a role in their decision making skills and critical thinking processes (or lack
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.
I will also be discussing the different techniques, programs, and strategies we can use in hopes of reducing the recidivism rate in juvenile corrections in America, and to help some of these youths grow to become productive law abiding citizens. Many youths who reoffend are not just out committing crimes in hopes of being caught and returned to secure care facilities, away from their family and friends for months or even years at a time. Per David Gottesman there are many underlying issues to why juveniles offend in the beginning. Gottesman stated, “Because an adolescents brain is not fully developed, their decision making and thought processes differ from those of adults, in turn youths are willing to take greater risks and show greater susceptibility to peer influences”, (D. Gottesman, juvenile justice in the U.S., July
Each year, hundreds of thousands of youth enter into the justice system. Incarceration is not designed to properly meet the needs of youth nor strengthen their development. Research indicates that relying on punishment and incarceration, rather than rehabilitation, is harmful to youth and may
Youth justice is a complex concern. There are many different ways to approach it — and just like anything else, everyone believes that their model is the most effective for reducing crime. Q’oranka Kilcher, an American actor once said “[…] it’s important for us as a society to remember that the youth within juvenile justice systems are, most of the time, youths who simply haven 't had the right mentors and supporters around them - because of circumstances beyond their control.” This seems fair. Youth may not be able to control their circumstances, but should they be responsible for their own actions and be punished? Or, should they be supported and encouraged in order to get rehabilitated? Different opinions influence different models. Four
Juvenile delinquency is not by any means a new phenomenon, although the way that juvenile offenders are treated when apprehended is constantly changing. Changes in family structure and urbanization have influenced the way that children act, as well as the way that they are viewed by members of society. Today, juvenile offenders are usually not treated like criminals, but rather given a lighter penance than adults and a ch...
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.