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Punishment and Sentencing Paper

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Punishment and Sentencing
A serious crime conducted by a child is sometimes a surprise to society because of the perception of innocence synonymous with children. Adults who commit crime are held to harsher punishments and less leniency as juveniles. Perhaps the reason for this is to foster a change in children and afford them the possibility of successful rehabilitation. This paper will identify the various punishment philosophies within the juvenile court and its processes. Additionally differences in philosophies between adult court and juvenile court will be discussed. Lastly the sanctions, legal factors associated with sentencing, and appeals process will also be examined.
Juvenile Punishment Philosophies
When juveniles are arrested, they are either labeled as being responsible for criminal conduct or considered a status offender. A child under 18 years of age is considered a juvenile. A juvenile who breaks the law other than a traffic violation, truancy, curfew violator, or runaways, their acts are considered delinquent conduct. When juvenile offenders break the law their cases will be held in juvenile court (C, Law, 2010). Each state will vary on what minimum age it will hold juveniles criminally responsible and the nature of the crime, state and federal laws will all factor into what punishment they will be subject to. Some states can prosecute ages as young as six years old, while federal agencies set their age limit at ten years old, however juveniles must be able to comprehend criminal responsibility. Statutes and laws pertinent to the arrest of juvenile and adult offenders are similar, with some exceptions. The family code falls under the penal code, and the juvenile court proceedings are held separate from the adult court system to protect their specified rights. Juvenile offenders are placed in separate facilities from adult offenders, because

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