...Laurie Mosley Ethics Mrs. Kauffman May 30, 2015 Juvenile Capital Punishment The youngest offender ever executed in the United States was James Arcene, a ten year old Cherokee, who was hanged in Arkansas in 1885 for participating in a robbery and murder (James Austin, 2000). Juvenile capital punishment has always been a highly controversial and publicized matter. As a society we recognize that children, those under eighteen years old, cannot and do not function as adults. Because children do not function as adults, the law takes special steps to protect children from the consequences of their actions and often gives them a second chance. The law prohibits people under eighteen years old from voting, serving in the military, and serving on juries. Majority of the criminals are male offenders over twenty years old, but this is changing rapidly. Not only are adults committing capital offenses, but children who are under eighteen years old are committing such heinous offenses. A child that commits a heinous crime is not mentally capable of comprehending the crime he or she commits. The system of values in the age under eighteen is not built yet, other people can easily influence children, and the psychiatric processes are not yet stable. Under these conditions a child should never be sentenced to death or a life in prison because their mind is not fully developed. Children still have a chance to change and be rehabilitated. ...
Words: 1964 - Pages: 8
...This issue paper will cover the subject of “Trying Juveniles as Adults”. This has brought up a very controversial topic that people seem to be very passionate about. The rate of minors committing horrendous crimes has been on a steady rise for the past couple of decades (DOJ National Report Series Bulletin, 2011). There are many differences between the court system for Juveniles and the justice system for adults. In Juvenile courts there are no juries and no trails by jury either. In adult courts the sentencing is much harsher and the chance of getting off the hook with some counseling is very slim. If a juvenile is defined as a person under the age of 18, how can you justify trying them in a court designed for adult offenders? Some juvenile cases get transferred to adult criminal court through a process called a “waiver”—when a judge waives the protections that juvenile court provides (www.ojjdp.gov). Usually, juvenile cases that are subject to waiver involve more serious crimes, or minors who have been in trouble before (nolo.com/juveniles youth adult criminal court). Being tried as an adult gives a juvenile more constitutional protections, but it also has disadvantages such as losing the juvenile protections as well. Depending on the crime of the minor, both court systems can punish the individual, but which court can give the appropriate punishment or the “crime”, not the age of the person committing the crime? The big question now is should we the courts show more...
Words: 2009 - Pages: 9
...Unit 9: Term Paper – Position Paper Introduction One of the most recent controversial issues in the U.S. juvenile justice system today involves the use of juvenile waivers. It is now possible for juveniles under the age of 18 to be transferred to the adult court system under the waiver provision. Even more surprisingly and depending on the jurisdiction, children as young as thirteen can find themselves in the clutches of the adult court system. Once these children enter the adult system, there is a possibility that a myriad of punishments can be received for their crimes. Of these punishments, life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) appears to be the most stringent and the hardest to swallow. According to a Juvenile Life Without Parole Fact Sheet, “A LWOP sentence is the harshest sentence given short of execution. The sentence means that an individual will not be given the opportunity for parole review and is condemned to die in prison” (Citizens for Juvenile Justice, 2008). For some, the idea of having a child spend the rest of their natural lives behind bars for capital and even noncapital crimes can be daunting and unfair. For many young people, they are at the point in their young lives where they are still trying to figure out who they are and they willingly test certain boundaries. Life in prison without parole attempts to snuff out what little life they have just begun to build. However, many would also argue that if you are capable of doing adult crimes and...
Words: 5182 - Pages: 21
...Maltreatment of Juveniles in Detention Centers Abstract This paper aims to highlight the different ethical issues faced by juveniles in detention centers all over the world. A brief introduction defining the terms is given in the beginning of the paper followed by a little detail of the history of the juvenile detention system. The later part sheds light on some of the main issues discussing them in detail and also mentioning the consequences of these issues. The issues include sexual abuse, wrong methods of therapy, lack of educational facility, undue punishments given by the legal system due to public pressure, the ill execution of the grievance reporting procedures, and the confinement of juveniles in adult prisons. These problems cause degradation of the child’s mental and physical health which is explained along each of the issue. At the end, some suggestions are given along with useful tips on how to bring reform and betterment to the system. The conclusion stresses the need to realize the plight of such children and do something about their situation. Keywords: juvenile, detention, sexual abuse INTRODUCTION Juvenile refers to a person who is not yet an adult. The law defines a juvenile to be a person who cannot be held responsible for a crime and cannot be subjected to the sentences reserved for adults. They have separate courts for trials called the Juvenile courts. All...
Words: 2664 - Pages: 11
...this question; I believe both viewpoints have good arguments. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion in this or any other matter, but no one is entitled to his own facts. What is the death penalty? Congress or any state legislature may prescribe the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, for murder and other capital crimes. (Death Penalty: An Overview, 2010) As far back as the Ancient Laws of China, the death penalty has been established as a punishment for crimes. In the 18th Century BC, the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon established the death penalty for twenty five different crimes, although murder was not one of them. The first death sentence historically recorded occurred in 16th Century BC Egypt where the wrongdoer, a member of nobility, was accused of magic, and ordered to take his own life. During this period non-nobility was usually killed with an ax. (Reggio, M. 2005) The first recorded execution in the English American colonies was in 1608 when officials executed George Kendall of Virginia for supposedly plotting to betray the British to the Spanish. By 1776, most of the colonies had roughly comparable death statutes which covered arson, piracy, treason, murder, sodomy, burglary, robbery,...
Words: 2381 - Pages: 10
...Death Penalty Death Penalty II Abstract We as a society have chosen to have a death penalty for the crimes that cry out for justice even though the use of the death penalty is known to have mistakes and may require a great deal of time and money to ensure that we have the correct person. The problem is that the system is in a lose-lose situation and cannot win either way. So because of this we have to weigh the odds of the death penalty against the possibility of mass crime increases. The facts all weighed together then weighed against the possible outcome of no death penalty most could see that the latter has far worst results. There are steps that we can take to assure that any person who gets the death penalty has the best defense and all avenues of discovery is covered and researched and all court appeals if any have been heard. The defendant and the state have a large amount to lose. The fact that we have to get this right the first time should prove the cost of the procedure well worth the monies spent. No matter what way it is looked at being for or against the death penalty are a personal and often a moral decision. The battle of those for and against the death penalty will continue to be fought because these two groups will never see the issue eye to eye. Death Penalty III Death Penalty The death penalty has been thought to be a deterrent to homicide by many. It’s a fact that the death penalty cost tax payers billions of dollars each and every year. Society...
Words: 3129 - Pages: 13
...American Intercontinental University Individual Project 1 Abstract Victims of crimes come in all ages, race, nationality, and sex. Studying the victims is important to determine why they were chosen, and how they were affected. Civil rights have come a long way in the past century, and continue to get better. Child rights groups continue to fight and win wrongful rulings in, so the kids can someday redeem themselves. First of all let’s take a look at what victimology is shall we. Victimology is defined as “the study of crime victims and the psychological effects on being a victim.” (Dictionary, 2013) Let’s take a look at why victimology is so important know a days. Here are some startling numbers from 2010. “The city of Detroit, Michigan literally looks like a war zone and violent crime is thriving. So far this year in Detroit, car thefts are up 83%, robberies are up 50%, burglaries are up 20% and property destruction is up 42%. Lawmakers in Illinois say that violence has become so rampant in Chicago that the National Guard needs to be sent in. In just one night last week seven people were killed and 18 were wounded – mostly by gunfire. In fact, there have already been 113 murders in Chicago this year. There are approximately 12 million crimes committed in the United States every single year. That is by far the worst in the world. No other nation has more than about 6 million reported crimes per year.” (Michael, 2010) With these types of numbers, there...
Words: 1654 - Pages: 7
...Death Penalty- death as punishment for a crime also called capital punishment; putting a condemned person to death Britain influenced America's use of the death penalty more than any other country. When European settlers came to the new world, they brought the practice of capital punishment. The first recorded execution in the new colonies was that of Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608. Kendall was executed for being a spy for Spain. In 1612, Virginia Governor Sir Thomas Dale enacted the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws, which provided the death penalty for even minor offenses such as stealing grapes, killing chickens, and trading with Indians. Laws regarding the death penalty varied from colony to colony. The Massachusetts Bay Colony held its first execution in 1630, even though the Capital Laws of New England did not go into effect until years later. The New York Colony instituted the Duke's Laws of 1665. Under these laws, offenses such as striking one's mother or father, or denying the "true God," were punishable by death. (Randa, 1997) The 1960s brought challenges to the fundamental legality of the death penalty. Before then, the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments were interpreted as permitting the death penalty. However, in the early 1960s, it was suggested that the death penalty was a "cruel and unusual" punishment, and therefore unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. In 1958, the Supreme Court had decided in Trop v. Dulles...
Words: 1696 - Pages: 7
...An unknown speaker once said, “Death is the wish of some, the relief of many, and the end of all”. Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics in the world. Punishment is only effective if it is constantly enforced, and capital punishment can't be enforced all the time. People who commit crimes of personal violence may or may not premeditate the crime. Death is irreversible and there is nothing that will make the victim come back to life. Since 1990, in the United States, there has been an average of more than four cases each year in which an entirely innocent person was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Notwithstanding, it can help control crime and in some cases, it can be just. It also gives closure to the families...
Words: 1369 - Pages: 6
...JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE NEW ERA S.No | Description | Page No. | 1. | Introduction | 3 | 2. | Historical background | 4 | 3. | Evolution of juvenile justice system I. Several unique feature characterized in early juvenile court II. English idea of providing separate system for juvenile offender III. The Reformatory schools | 5 | 4. | International concern I. Relevant Article from UN convention II. Movement of Juvenile justice in India | 7 | 5. | Indian legal Provision I. Constitution provision II. Penal provision III. Juvenile justices provision a. Reformatory school Act-1876 b. Children Act-1960 c. Juvenile justice Act-1986 IV. Juvenile justice(Protection and Care) Act-2000 | 10 | 6. | An Analysis I. Who is a juvenile in conflict with law II. Age of criminal responsibility and determination of juvenility III. Present conflict about the age | 14 | 7. | Indian Reformatory approach I. The Child Welfare Committee(CWC) II. The juvenile justices board III. Police IV. Probation Officer V. State government | 16 | 8. | At present- Extent of delinquency in India-NCRB Report | 18 | 9. | Root causation of increasing number of juvenile | 23 | 10. | Role of the society | 26 | 11. | Judicial efforts | 27 | 12. | Recommendation | 28 | 13. | Conclusion | 30 | Introduction 42% of our population is children; the problem of juvenile delinquency is not new but this seek our attention recently very much because...
Words: 10255 - Pages: 42
...l Race and Juvenile Delinquency by Dubien Tshimanga SOCIOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY CAPSTONE PRINCIPIA COLLEGE APRIL 2015 ABSTRACT Throughout history, the struggle of minorities has been seen in many facets of life such as in history, literature, music and film: Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi fought for the right of unrepresented minorities. Books such as Too Kill a Mocking Bird spoke to the prejudices of a community. Movies such as Roots illustrated the hardship of the slaves. From the Roman’s persecution of Christians to today’s rap song lyrics about economic disparities the plight of the minority has been fought for millennium. This research examines the struggle of minorities within the juvenile justice system and the differential rates of adjudication and length of sentencing between the white majority and the black minority juvenile offenders. During the course of this research, additional insights were gained from an internship at a youth correctional center as well as drawing on my own personal experience as a refugee from Gabon. The findings of my research demonstrate that minority offenders do receive harsher sentences than the whites, and that there are several factors contributing to higher rates of juvenile delinquency among African Americans; primarily education and community. To consider the struggle of minorities is important because it creates awareness that the maltreatment of a minority group by the dominant majority often...
Words: 19434 - Pages: 78
...statement (E) (S) (NI) (US) Thesis: ✓ Narrows and focuses the subject. ✓ Makes an arguable claim. (E) (S) (NI) (US) Body Paragraphs: ✓ Each paragraph reinforces the thesis statement (E) (S) (NI) (US) Conclusion: ✓ Summarize important information ✓ Reiterates claim/thesis ✓ States what the reader should take away from the piece (E) (S) (NI) (US) Organization: ✓ The essay is organized in a logical order, according to its thesis ✓ Smooth transition between paragraphs (E) (S) (NI) (US) Style: ✓ Absence of awkward sentences ✓ Avoids first person ✓ Appropriate word choice ✓ Readability (E) (S) (NI) (US) Support: ✓ Direct quotations are used for support ✓ In-depth, clear analysis ✓ Avoids plot summary (E) (S) (NI) (US) Process: ✓ Participation in Peer Reveiw (E) (S) (NI) (US) (E) = Excellent (S) = Satisfactory (NI) = Needs Improvement (US) = Unsatisfactory Royal Bugh Mr. Zima English 102 WWA Research Paper Rough Draft 4/2/2013 Both Parents Should Assume Equal Responsibility in Raising a Child This is an article titled, Both Parents Should Assume Equal Responsibility in Raising Children. The article contains a great deal of information about the importance of both parents. The article states that the father is important because, “…by his masculinity...
Words: 812 - Pages: 4
...The Use of the Death Penalty A Paper Presented by the National Policy Committee to The American Society of Criminology National Policy Committee James Austin, Chair Kitty Calavita Roland Chilton Jeffrey Fagan Calvin C. Johnson Delores Jones-Brown Mark Moore Ira Schwartz Linda Teplin Franklin Zimring November 2001 The findings and opinions contained herein are those of the National Policy Committee and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the American Society of Criminology. Ronald Weitzer, Professor of Sociology, Dana Coleman, Research Assistant, and Sarah Benatar, Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute on Crime, Justice, and Corrections at George Washington University provided substantial assistance in the preparation of this document. Introduction Capital punishment is among the most hotly debated issues in American politics. Passions run high for both those who want the death penalty abolished and those who seek to preserve or expand its use. What follows is a summary of key issues in the death penalty debate, research findings on the application of capital punishment, and a discussion of policy considerations. The American Society of Criminology (ASC) is greatly concerned with the death penalty and its application in the United States. This year, ASC President Ronald Huff and the ASC Executive Board authorized the ASC’s National Policy Committee (NPC) to develop a policy paper that would focus on...
Words: 6090 - Pages: 25
...Re-Entry and Its Effects: Institutional and Post Release Community Corrections, CRJ 341 Jonathan L. Kaiser Abstract Reentry is a challenge many offenders face once they are incarcerated and released into society. The term “reentry’” is a synonym for return and is defined as the act of going back to a prior place, location, situation or setting. Prison re-entry refers to the transition of offenders from prisons or jails back into the community. The concept of life in society is an important part of any reintegration of institutionalized people, including people who have been incarcerated for committing a crime. The institutionalization of a population leads to isolation, segregation and detachment of the elements of a company defining the basis of citizenship. Although individuals often returning to the community focus more on the choice of where they dwell, their long-term success in society is more likely to be dependent on the social roles they have chosen to play, to the extent that they will engage in the community and they have been prepared for this purpose during their incarceration or institutionalization. Reentry can help reduce recidivism as well as assist those who have been previously incarcerated to begin leading law abiding lives once released into society. However, overtime the importance of prisoner reentry has been drastically lowered with less emphasis on helping those to prepare for their release and with post release community integration. As...
Words: 2769 - Pages: 12
...Warning Concerning Copyright Restrictions The Copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyright material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction not be "used for any purposes other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. How to Say Nothing in 500 Words Paul Roberts Paul Roberts (1917-1967) was a linguist, a teacher, and a writer at San Jose State College from 1946 to 1960 and at Cornell University from 1962 to 1964. His books on writing, including English Syntax (1954) and Patterns of English (1956), have helped generations of high school and college students become better writers. "How to Say Nothing in 500 Words" is taken from his best-known book, Understanding English (1958). Although written almost fifty years ago, the essay is still relevant for student writers today. Good writing, Roberts tells us, is not simply a matter of filling up a page; rather, the words have to hold the reader's interest, and they must say something. In this essay, Roberts uses lively prose and a step-by-step process to guide the student from the blank page to the finished essay...
Words: 6637 - Pages: 27
