Juvenile Offenders Should be Tried as Adults for Violent Crimes

There is much debate over whether or not juveniles should ever be tried as adults. Juveniles are defined as children under the age of 18. In the past, juveniles have been tried in a separate juvenile court because of their age. However, trying juveniles as adults for violent crimes is a trend that is on the rise. Age is supposed to be a deterrent for placing those under 18 on trial and giving them stiffer punishments that are often reserved for adults. Many debate whether or not juveniles really should have less severe punishments or if trying some juveniles as adults will lower juvenile crime rates.

Many people believe that kids are kids until they commit violent crimes. Juveniles who commit violent crimes were tried as adults and had equal punishment, the number of violent crimes committed by youths would decline. Individuals who commit a crime do not think about the consequences they have to face. They are well aware of their surroundings and the actions they chose. Nehemiah Griego a fifteen year old who killed his parent and three younger siblings was sentenced as a juveniles and released from state custody by the time he turns twenty one (Article, p.1).

Since the beginning of time justice officials have been faced with a difficult decision should juvenile offenders be given smaller sentences because of their age. Today officials still are having trouble with this situation. Some experts believe some offender should be tried as adults , others believe no juvenile offenders should be tried as adults and some even think all should be tried as adults. My opinion Juvenile criminals the way all offenders should be tried.

Court systems are left with difficult decisions. A controversial decision courts are faced with today is whether or not juveniles are to be tried as adults. The increasing number of incarcerated children in adult jails raises questions as to why. Adolescents sentenced to prison are more likely to be abused, commit suicide, or reoffend, thus committing more serious offenses. The statutes requiring juveniles to enter adult prisons are inhumane and in-just. Nevertheless, sentencing children to adult prisons continues regularly today. When adolescents commit crimes, they should be tried as juveniles rather than adults.

Violent crimes can be defined as murder, rape, armed robbery, aggravated assault or even petty theft and others depending on state law. According to the number of violent crimes committed by people under the age of 18 has declined since its peak in 1994. That is not saying violent crime among youths are unlikely to happen. Out of the 2.5 million juveniles arrested in 1999. 104,000 of the arrests were for violent crimes. “Juveniles accounted for 16 percent of all violent crime arrests and 32 percent of all property crime arrests in 1999”. The more recent numbers in certain cities paint a gloomier picture. In Minneapolis, 63 percent of all violent crime and property theft suspects were juveniles in 2005. Washington, D.C and Boston are facing similar increases in violent juvenile crime despite the nation’s overall rejection. The rejection that occurred in most of the U.S. during the past decade coincides with the fact that most states now permit minors to be tried as adults for violent crimes and all states have a procedure for transferring juveniles to the adult criminal system. Some of the transfers to adult court even occur automatically based on the juvenile’s age and crime. However, since this is governed by individual states, there is no consistency to which juveniles get transferred and for what crime which may explain why certain cities

For years may people have debated whether or not juveniles should be tried as adults for serious crimes. The juvenile justice system was established in the year 1899(Long). Laws were first created to handle small cases such as truancy, shoplifting, and vandalism (Estudillo). Since 1993, at least 43 states have passed laws making it easier for children to be tried as adults (Estudillo). Juveniles should be tried as adults because by the time they’re about 12 they know that murder is wrong, if they’re grown up enough to kill someone then they’re old enough for adult consequences, and a lot of kids see the juvenile justice system as a way to get away with crime.

Many of those who are in favor of prosecuting juveniles as adults believe that the juvenile justice system is too relaxed. Therefore, they believe that juvenile offenders don’t recognize the seriousness of their crime. But should the punishment

As adolescents, we have all made mistakes, some big some small but it never crossed our minds that one of these mistakes could change our lives forever. In this day in age, it's ludicrous to hear youth suspects receive harsh sentencing; being forced to go to an adult jail or prison, or in rare cases getting put on death row. “The practice of charging young people as adults gained momentum in America in the 1990s, as youth crime spiked” ("Children in Adult Jails"). Some argue that these pre-teens and/or teens should receive harsh sentencing regardless of their age because they were old enough to know right from wrong. Others believe juveniles should be tried as adults in certain circumstances, depending on the crime and its severity. On the other hand, many people believe youth offenders should receive a higher juvenile sentence as opposed to an adult sentence. This

When asked the question, should all juveniles be treated equally within the juvenile court system or not, the answer is no. A child at the age of five who discovers his/her parents gun, who shoots and kills a neighbor will not have the same understanding or culpability than a child age 15. In each case, depending on the age and crime committed a judge must determine the appropriate course of action.

The question to whether or not a juvenile should be tried as an adult for committing a crime is still quite complex. There are those that believe a crime is a crime and no matter who the person may be they shouldn’t be punished the same way as everyone else. Though other oppose that they shouldn’t be punished so harshly because it can severely fracture their mental health. Though there must be some other resolution to sentencing juveniles to life prison and therefore ruining their

Every juvenile who commits a severe crime should be tried as an adult. Juveniles should understand the differences in between both good and bad. Most kids that are 15 and older are the ones committing the worse crimes, by that age they should understand the differences in between both good and bad. Every person in the world should be able to think before they do, being able to think before you do will help you understand what you're doing and help you understand the difference in between both the good and the bad. The parents of the juveniles should also understand that some crimes are severe and have severe punishments. Juveniles need to know that

Juveniles should not be tried as adults, no matter the crime only because there are other ways that the government could keep the ‘worse’ juveniles away from adults who could have a negative effect on the juveniles but also away from the juveniles who have committed minor misdemeanors and have a better chance of rehabilitation.

Kids are kids until they commit crimes. Age doesn’t matter when either adults or teens are committing a crime because either way a crime was committed and there are people out there of different ages

Juvenile offenders are not charged with crimes; they are charged with delinquent acts. To determine whether or not a juvenile should be charged as an adult would be dependent upon what the juvenile was charged with (NCJRS Abstract- National Criminal Justice Reference Service,” n.d.). Juveniles who commit violent offenses to the extent that it labels the juvenile themselves as violent, should be charged as an adult. These types of offenses would include rape, murder, or any aggravated crimes where serious bodily injury or death occurred. Any offenses committed by a juvenile where a weapon was used would be another instance where they may need to be tried as an adult.

  The punishment of juvenile criminals, specifically those between the ages of 13 and 18, in the event that they commit crimes of murder, is not severe enough. Minors between these critical ages in the teenage life who commit crimes of murder should be prosecuted as adults in all situations and locations.