Children Charged As Adults : Justice Or Not? Essay

All juveniles should not receive life sentences for felony crimes committed one time. Every year in the US, children as young as 13 years of age are sentenced to spend the rest of their years of life in prison; sometimes, without the option of parole. Juvenile life without parole may also be known as “JLWOP.” Even though there’s a consensus saying that a child cannot be tried or held at the same standards as an adult and recognize that children are empowered to a higher level of treatment and protection, the US still allow for children to be tried and/or punished as an adult.

Finally, I believe that by being rehabilitated the juvenile will have a better chance at life because eventually they will be back in society.

How would you feel if the police arrested kids all over our country to jail for just crossing the street the wrong way or pushing another kid on the playground? That is what is happening to many underage juvenile all over the United States; they are being sent to adult prisons for crimes that do not deserve such severe punishments. Why they were tried as adults is an enigma and we will explain why this is a terrible injustice. In 1899 children in between the ages of 7-14 were believed they were incapable of committing criminal intent. The court system back then believed that if enough evidence could be gathered to convince a jury, the underage person would be convicted and sent to an adult prison. Currently in our state, persons as

Did you know, that in the United States alone, Over 200,000 children are charged and imprisoned every year as adults? Early in the 20th century, most states established juvenile courts to rehabilitate and not just punish youthful offenders. The system was designed for children to have a second chance at their lives. “A separate juvenile-justice system, which sought to rehabilitate and not just punish children, was part of a movement by progressives to create a legally defined adolescence through the passage of child-labor and compulsory education laws and the creation of parks and open spaces.”(How to reduce crime Pg 1) Although the view on juveniles committing brutal crimes is nearly inconceivable, it is not a solution to give juveniles adult consequences because the effects of the adult system on juveniles are not effective.

Over the course of America's history, they're have been many cases of juveniles committing serious crimes, like murder, and they were only given light punishments like probation, or far worse, being let off the hook. However, there have also been cases in which kids have done very minor crimes, and have been given prison sentences longer than 20 years. This raises the age-old question; should children be tried as adults, and if so, to what degree? People have been asking themselves this question since our judicial system came to be. There have been many debates to this question, but the answer is quite simple.

The continuous question officials have been contemplating is whether or not juveniles should be tried as adults. Although it seems as easy to say if they do the crime they should do the time, it’s immorally incorrect. However, what types of crimes must juveniles commit to be charged as an adult? Juveniles from the age of 13 to 18 have the possibility to be transferred to an adult system if they commit serious crimes, such as murder, aggravated sexual assault, and robbery with a firearm. However many negative results prosper from juveniles being put into the adult system.

In this article”Kids Are Kids Until They Commit Crimes” by Marjie Lundstrom explains that kids who commit a crimes is seen like a kids or an adult. Nathaniel Brazill was charged as an adult with first- degree murder. He was 13 years old when this happen. This is another example Lionel Tate was 12 years old he savagely beat to death a 6 years old girl. Now he is 14 years old and he was convicted as an adult of first-degree murder. The author’s purpose is when the teens commit crimes are they still kids. Some teens who is facing life sentences without parole. They created this image that teenagers are something to be feared. The article is saying that it's easier to sentences kids as an adult.

In the article, ¨Kids Are Kids-Until They Commit Crime,¨ by Marjie Lundstrom explains that if kids/teens should be in prison for a crime. The crime kids commit depends on how big the crime really is then they should should be called adults. In the article there was examples of cases that kids commit of a twelve year old girl Lionel Tate who beat to death a six-year-old girl. Now Lionel will be charged as an adult and a first degree murder. Adolescent don't know what they get into until they commit the crime in jail they will be treated the same way as an adult. Sometimes they will regret it because they aren't teens no more they won't be able to do normal things anymore, no more toys, playing with friends their conscious won't be the

Whether Juveniles should or shouldn't be charged as adults and sentenced to life without parole is a long and deep discussed debate between two completely different parties and ways of thinking. Here in the United States things like these happen very often, and most of the times kids are charged as adults and have to spend their whole lives behind bars. I first had a different idea than the one that I have now. In fact, I thought that kids should have been charged as adults if they had deserved it. But after I got to know more about this topic my views changed.

Kids should be subjected to the measures of punishment that our judicial system is giving to them. Kids who show lots of enmity should be tried as adults. It is the only way to protect the innocent children. These kids know right from wrong, but they choose to do the wrong things and violence is wrong. As the laws have gotten stricter on discipline the kids have gotten wilder. When we let society tell us how to discipline our children then violent children is the result.

In addition, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has reported that there are now even younger children who are tried as adults. In their report, they specify that in most states children as young as 13 or 14 years old are tried as adults for their crimes. Not to mention, in Kansas and Vermont, children as young as 10 years old are and can be tried as adults (OJJDP). This means even though they are children, they can receive a life sentence without even a chance of parole. How can these children own up to their mistakes by spending the rest of their lives locked up? How are they expected to even comprehend the consequences of their mistakes? Even worse, it was not until 2005 that the Supreme Court banned the execution of juveniles ruling that “death by execution is unconstitutional for juveniles” ("Justices Abolish Death Penalty for Juveniles"). Simply, for over two hundred years in the existence of the United States, it was constitutional to execute children. Since the birth of the United States there have been over three hundred and sixty five children executed for their crimes (“Death in Prison Sentences for Children”). It is not right that a child’s future can be taken away because of one’s own mistake at such a young age. As a nation, we need to care for the young and help them integrate into society because their future is our future.

Imagine sitting in a courtroom, hoping the the judge will not give a harsh sentence. Unfortunately, that’s the case for many juveniles, some as young as 13! A juvenile is subject to a more severe sentence with the limited sentencing available. It is estimated that 250,000 youth are prosecuted as adults, each year. This number should change, as juveniles are not adults, both mentally and physically. Juveniles need an environment surrounded with guiding adults, education and the resources to help them. A juvenile is not an adult, and should not be tried as one.

As more minors are committing violent crimes, the question of whether they should be tried as adults has arisen. Children as young as 13 or 14 are committing violent crimes such as murder, rape, and armed robbery. Some of these children are being tried as adults while others are being tried as juveniles and receiving milder punishments. A juvenile offender may receive a few years in a juvenile detention facility and possibly probation following his release at age eighteen. An adult committing the same violent crime will receive a much harsher penalty, often years in jail, possibly a life sentence, with little or no chance of parole. The only difference between the two offenders is the age at which they committed the crime. Juveniles over

By law adolescents are not able to vote, purchase tobacco or alcohol, join the armed forces, or sign a legal contract. Children are not permitted the same rights and responsibilities as adults because the law recognizes their inability to make adult decisions. The law acknowledges that children are unable to handle the consequences that come along with the rights that adults have. By allowing them to be charged as adults is holding them to a double standard. Telling them that they are not old enough to enjoy the same luxuries as adults, but they can experience the same punishment as adults if they commit a crime. The law acknowledged the inability of children to make decisions but still allows them to suffer the same consequences as adults. Research demonstrates that transferring children from juvenile court to adult court does not decrease recidivism, and in fact actually increases crime. Instead of the child learning their mistake they are more likely to repeat it. Juvenile detention centers have programs that help reconstruct young minds and help them realize where they went wrong. Prison does not offer this same opportunity. (Estudillo, Mary Onelia)

Regardless of age, a killer is a killer. A killer can be the daily customer you have at your job or the child you’re babysitting. “The Supreme Court justices would be wise as well as compassionate to strike a balance: Make juvenile offenders responsible for their actions but don't completely rob them of hope. And this should apply not only to the inmates who were 14 at the time of their crimes but to the remaining 2,497 who were 15 to 18 years old,” (Ellison 19). Kids make mistakes all the time, that doesn’t mean we should take their life away from them. With overlooking the listed factors in court when sentencing a juvenile, this will improve the number of children in prisons. Not all of these children partake in the act because of evil, but merely because of