...At 15 years old you are not able to drink, drive, vote, or even see an R-rated movie by yourself because you are not classified as an adult. If this is the case, why are juveniles tried as adults when they commit a crime? Every year there is an estimated 250,000 youth tried in the United States as an adult. Although no crime should go unpunished, there are many contributing factors that states why a minor shouldn’t be sentenced as an adult. The fact that most adolescents become repeat offenders, they are not able to survive in prison, and the court is basically ruining their lives are just a few examples of why they shouldn’t be tried as an adult. To begin with, 66 percent of the youth in the United States that are sentencved to prison become...
Words: 534 - Pages: 3
...Juveniles being tried as adults Student’s name University affiliation Juveniles being tried as adults Introduction The first juvenile court started in the United States of America in 1899. The two basic principles on which the court juvenile court were founded are one, and juveniles were not mature enough to take responsibility of their actions compared to adults and two, it was easier to rehabilitate juveniles as compared to adult criminals (Grisso & Schwartz, 2000). In more than a century, these principles remained the benchmarks of the juvenile courts as they expanded from Chicago, their original birthplace, into other states and eventually in other parts of the world. However, in the recent year rising incidences of juvenile criminals being tried as adults has increased as it was before the advent of the first juvenile court. Much of this stems from the public outrage against the children who, in high numbers, are engaging in violent crimes. Many countries have adopted legislation that permits them to juveniles to be tried as adults. In some countries, there are provisions that allow prosecutors to try children as young as 14 years under certain circumstances (Grisso & Schwartz, 2000). Juvenile courts establishment aimed at separating the youthful offenders from the adult criminals and thereafter processing and rehabilitating them in forgiving and less punitive manner compared to the adult criminal system (Redding & Fuller, 2004)...
Words: 3034 - Pages: 13
...daughter from a prominent white family (hopkins) juveniles have been taking advantage because of the things they are accused of most juveniles do not even know their amendments so they're not protected by them either. Juveniles under the age of eighteen should not be tried as an adult because a prison is not parenting any child, some of the punishments are too harsh, and because of their immature brains. Prison is not a place where juveniles will actually get to learn things like people expect them to. It does not provide help like a parent would. Most juveniles commit crimes because they are probably neglected or do not have a parent role model there for them. Any role model could do so much for an adolescent because they follow the steps of that person. Young offenders often end up isolated from society because of this they choose to do foolish things. The foolish things some end up doing are joining gangs, committing robberies and doing drugs. A prison is not going to help as much with those issues. A gang member still has a connection to the outside world so them changing is a bad bit Unlikely. Prisons can not change juveniles like people think they should. If prisons help so much why are there second offers? Most juvenile offenders become second offenders because...
Words: 2059 - Pages: 9
...Should juveniles be tried as adults? Does it depend on the crime committed? If so, what should be the determining factor(s) in deciding to transfer juveniles to adult courts? Case Assignment 4 September 5, 2011 Violent crimes committed by juveniles have fluctuated over the years. The children of today are subjected to violence in popular songs, television shows, and even computer games. Parents’ having guns accessible to children and the society the child lives in all play a part in the destruction of our youth. Juvenile offenders are now facing tougher punishment for their actions. When a child kills, does he instantly become an adult? Or does he maintain some trappings of childhood, despite the gravity of his or her actions? These are the questions plaguing the American legal system today, as the violent acts of juvenile offenders continue to make headlines. The Juvenile correction system is about one hundred years old. It was created in the 1800s on the philosophy that children are inherently different from adults and it is the state’s responsibility to protect and rehabilitate young offenders. Until the inception of the youth justice system, children were tried in criminal courts along with adults. Movement for juvenile justice reform was informed by the 16th century educational reform movement in England that perceived children to be different than miniature adults, with less than fully developed moral and cognitive capacities. As early as 1825, the Society for...
Words: 1297 - Pages: 6
...Should Minors Who Commit Violent Crimes Be Tried As Adults? Thesis Statement Many adults come up with many reasons why youth involve themselves with acts of violence, there is never an actual answer to why they committed the crime, but the question of why they are being tried as an adult. Vicious misconduct is well-defined by the Division of Juvenile Justice as “murder, rape, severe attacks, and theft. These are all actions that sound terrible and cause for harsh consequences. Unluckily, there is an increasing development of adolescent violence; even “kids” under the age of sixteen are engaging in these vicious acts. When a child comes of age, they advance to being able to enjoy but not abuse adult liberties. Adolescents attain a numerous freedoms like the right to vote, buy a home, and buy tobacco goods and alcohol, however most importantly they become responsible for their behavior. Many aren’t aware of the temptations that come about once the age of maturity is reached. The mature criminal justice system is not meant to meet the desires of adolescent offenders. Solution (s) to Problems There are three problems when it comes to trying a child as an adult; it is impossible for a juvenile to stay alive in such harsh environments such as adult prison because of the age bracket and the absence of adulthood which can sometimes be taken advantage of by other offenders. Juveniles who are positioned in adult prisons are more likely to be repeat offenders because they become accustomed...
Words: 1057 - Pages: 5
...court ruling for juvenile sentences depends on the crime that they have committed. More than half of the juveniles that commit horrific crimes are tried as adults today in the supreme court. The supreme court does not let the juveniles off easy, they will try them as adults and give them years sentences, or even life behind bars. In my opinion I do believe that juveniles should be tried as adults but the sentence time should not be life behind bars. The juveniles should be sentenced to some years behind bars, but during this time, they should be able to attend some type of counseling or therapy. There has been multiple crimes that have been committed by juveniles in the past and recent times.On March 9, Lionel Tate was only twelve years old when he killed a six year old little girl doing professional wrestling moves. In my opinion I do not think that Lionel Tate should have gotten the sentence he had gotten. Mr. Tate was tried as an...
Words: 652 - Pages: 3
...Considering that teens are now being tried in the adult court, the youth is introduced into the American prison system at a young age, which is causing them to contribute to the increased number of inmates. However some may believe that this population expansion is due to the increase in the number of people actually committing crimes or in some cases new and/or old laws being reinforced in order to criminalize. These crimes do not only include misdemeanors, but felonies. Said felonies stains an individual reputation for life. Which makes it hard for them to get on the right track after going to jail. With that being said juveniles are being tried as adults, while still having little to no access to a public defender. When trying the youth these punishments are implemented to lower crime rate....
Words: 637 - Pages: 3
...Juvenile Justice; Don’t Send The Future Away The day I got locked up was a bad day. When I got out i thought it was over not knowing it’s a whole court system I had to go through. I was 16 at the time so I got tried as an adult. I sign my plea for two weeks of probation later. Is the question “are juveniles getting a fair justice?” According to Nicole Scialabba during a single year, an estimated 2.1 million youth under the age of 18 are arrested in the United States. Since the 1980s there has been growing concern about crimes committed by young people. Juveniles should not be tried as adults because young offenders are at risk sent to adult prisons, they are more likely to commit crimes and they lack understanding of the crime they committed. Juveniles should not be tried as adults because they will be sent to an adult prison. An adult prison will have an extremely destructive effect on the juveniles. “Young prisoners are also at a disadvantage because they are not as mature (mentally and physically) as older prisoners (Scott). It is saying that automatically going in a adult prison they are already not safe. Compared to adults they are small. The adult prisoners are physically bigger than juveniles so...
Words: 1768 - Pages: 8
...Suppose that today around midnight you're in bed and you're asleep. Around 12:37 am you get a call from the local police station. You answer and the officer gives you the news that your son who is your only child has been killed by his best friend who is the same age. At court the offender only receives seven years and the possibility of parole. This sentence would not equal to a life that he took away. I believe that juveniles who commit crime should be charged as adults, they have committed a first or second degree murder and it is the victims families right to believe the convict deserves to pay the sentence. One reason why juveniles should be tried as adults is because the crime they have committed is a serious crime. “Fourteen-year-old Brazil, charged in last May’s shooting of middle-school teacher Grunow, was found guilty of second-degree murder” (Thompson 1). Brazil was a juvenile who committed a murder. This murder was intentional and he had the desire to kill his teacher. “but prosecutors argued that by...
Words: 609 - Pages: 3
...Every year there are millions of people committing crimes, but the crimes committed by juveniles gets the most attention from the public. During the recent years, more and more teens get sentenced as an adult. They sent teens from the juveniles’ courts to the adult courts. Their crimes are viewed more harshly and critically, which explain the reason why they are being tried as an adult. Many people gave different kind of opinion on this kind of topic, whether or not teens get tried as adults. There are many articles that address this topic and their claim on this controversial topic. Some of the articles that review this matter are “Juveniles Don’t Deserve Life Sentence” by Gail Garinger, “On Punishments and Teen Killers” by Jennifer Jenkins, and “Kids are Kids- Until They Commit Crimes” by Marie Lundstorm. They both have their own opinions and knowledge on this topic. My position in this issue is juveniles don’t deserve to be tried as adults. There has been a relentless amount of fear in the public about juveniles making...
Words: 737 - Pages: 3
...committed by juveniles should not be tried in adult court. Such arguments have been made on the perception that during the time of the crime, the juvenile was not in a position to clearly understand what the crime entailed. Nonetheless, while this might be true according to those that argue in favor of juveniles being tried in juvenile courts, a hidden reality exists that the social issue behind certain crimes are much more complicated than the allegations made pertaining to juvenile courts and certain crimes. When allegations such as “the juvenile was raised knowing that his behavior was acceptable” are being employed to reason for the juvenile being tried in a juvenile court (even when crimes of homicide are committed) then those who commit capital crimes ought to be penalized by the law as written by the law. Under this presumption alone, anyone who commits capital crime is subject to the penalties of the law. This creates the reasons as to why juveniles should be treated as adults in homicide cases. Research findings by Fox, J....
Words: 1638 - Pages: 7
...these criminals are juveniles who are committing adult crimes. When being tried in the juvenile court system, they are receiving shortened sentences, and they are being released and given new identities to continue to go about their lives but the victims and their families of the crime are left to suffer without having justice served. By changing the way the court system sees juveniles, the United States can change their motives and approach to society. Minors should be tried as adults because everyone has control over their actions unless diagnosed with a mental disability, victims will not receive full justice, and lastly the young adults might not learn from their mistakes. When it comes to trying teens as adults, many say trying them as adults is to cruel and harsh of a punishment but instead to try them as juveniles instead, others say they must be tried as adults after committing an adult crimes. Younger induviduals should be held accountable for their actions and tried as adults. Children almost always know right from wrong even starting at young age. These young adults are usually always taught to talk or consult with...
Words: 808 - Pages: 4
...When a child commits a crime do they instantly become an adult? Do they continue with the innocuousness of childhood, despite the gravity of his or her actions? Nearly three thousand juveniles have been sentenced to life of imprisonment with no chance of parole (children in prison). Typically without any consideration of their home life, age, or background. This is cruel, wicked, sad, and barbarous. Juveniles should not be tried as adults because, everyone deserves a second chance, the adolescent brain is not fully developed until the age of twenty-five, and children are fixable. Everyone deserves a second chance to make the right decisions and to try become a better person. Juveniles should be given the second chance to reflect on what they have done and not be put in a jail cell. They are just starting their lives, this will affect everything they strive to do. Trying to go to college, get a job, or start a family. A juvenile is a person who is under the age of eighteen, that is not enough time to even know who you are yet, to see your potential. Some of the kids that are being tried as an adult today aren't even old enough to drive, let alone start their high school careers. They are just little kids that have went down the wrong path and need some guidance. It is proven that...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...First of all, juveniles should not be tried as adults and punished with a sentence to life in prison because of their immaturity and the inability to take up their responsibilities. As Elena Kagan stated, “Mandatory life without parole for a juvenile precludes consideration of his chronological age and its hallmark features.” A juvenile is defined as child or teen at age 18 or younger, who is not yet old enough to be regarded as an adult. Studies show that human’s brain is not fully developed until an age of 25: “In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with… the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment... Teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional...
Words: 253 - Pages: 2
...Dear President Joe Biden, We all know the difficult decision on whether the juveniles deserve to be tried as adults, as far as accountability goes for juvenile justice, their wrongdoings should be evaluated and understood before a final decision is made to ensure that the right people are getting the help they need and deserve. As they are only teens who have yet to understand the real world and how it works, I believe that we need to understand the events leading to the crimes to truly get the whole picture of what, when, where, and why this minor committed such acts. We have failed many teens already with the system that's in place, for example: Kalief Browder, The Central Park Five. The one thing all these teens have in common is that we failed them and they had to find ways to grow up in cells instead of neighborhoods, schools, places that can provide structure to teens navigating the world, not in prison cells with grown adults who committed crimes....
Words: 453 - Pages: 2
