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Apr 3, 2024

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Scholarly Arguments on Both Sides Clarence L. Williams The University of Arizona Global Campus PHI103: Informal Logic Stephen Carter 12 June 2023

Introduction (100 words) In the United States, people are subject to crime at alarming rates in comparison to many other countries. When crimes are committed, the expectation is that wrongdoers will be caught, tried, and sentenced if found guilty. Due to emotions, many times people call for the harshest punishment in these instances as they want to prove a point or make an example of someone in hopes of preventing others from doing the same. I ask, would you feel the same if a crime was committed against you by a minor? How would that change how you respond to a crime? If not, should that minor be subject to adult consequences? In this paper, I will present arguments supporting and opposing sentencing minors as adults for crimes committed. Presentation of Argument For more serious crimes, such as rape or premeditated murder, age does not make a difference to me. These are the types of crimes that I believe require immediate intervention and those that commit these crimes should be held fully accountable regardless of age. Without accountability, these individuals could pose a more severe threat in adulthood. Not only is accountability important, but so is deterrence. This is an opportunity to set precedence for anyone considering committing the same offense. Although the circumstances of these crimes may vary, the punishment should match the crime. Premise 1: Some children are capable of incredible, and heinous things like rape or premeditated murder. Premise 2: If there were no consequences to their actions, I would be fearful to learn what they are capable of at the age of 18 if the punishment did not match the crime.

Conclusion: Contrary to belief, some children are capable of extraordinary, and heinous acts. With no consequences for their actions, it could lead to more severe actions. Therefore, in some instances, minors should be charged as adults to intervene in the possibility of more heinous crimes as an adult. Evaluation of the quality of reasoning The reasoning of this argument is based on the premise that a lack of consequences for crimes committed by minors could lead to more severe behaviors in the future. In some cases, charging minors as adults could prove to be an appropriate form of intervention. To make this argument stronger, statistical syllogism would be helpful, but I feel this may be difficult to quantify due to the difference in circumstances and other factors. Maybe the use of an argument from an authority, such as parole officers, judges, or former inmates themselves. Presentation of an Opposing Argument On the opposing side of this argument, there is a belief that there is a limited opportunity for rehabilitation. When children are held to a standard that they cannot comprehend, they can sometimes rebel against any attempt to address the situation. They can grow angry and defensive, which may resort to other means of acting in rebellion. According to HumanImpact.org “When we lock up young people, they are more likely to be exposed to extreme violence, fall prey to abuse, and suffer from illness. High rates of violence, unchecked gang activity, and overcrowding persist in Division of Juvenile Justice facilities where many youths sentenced as adults start their incarceration. Fights frequently erupt in facility dayrooms and school areas.”

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