Juveniles As Juveniles

Going back to the early days of American history, there were very little made to distinguish criminal responsibility of children versus that of adults. During this time, juveniles, some young as seven years old could be tried and prosecuted within an adult criminal court. Children would have to stand for trial in court based on the offenses they committed, and could then be sentenced to prison and sometimes possibly even capital punishment. Is this form of justice beneficial to minors, or does it just obstruct their futures?

No matter their age, when it comes to serious offenses juveniles should be tried as adults because the understanding of what is right and wrong is known by young children, if they have the ability to commit a crime they should be charged as adults, and without them being trying

In conclusion I feel that by not trying juveniles as adults it is a better outcome for the child and society. We are also giving the juvenile a second chance at the future that everyone

There are times juveniles should not be convicted as adults because sometimes the “crimes” may not harsh enough to be charged as an adult. For example, if a 8 year old saw a gun in their mother's purse and thought it was a toy and grabbed it and began to shoot who would be at fault ? Plus children in adult prisons are 10 times more likely to be taken advantage of in their time. Research shows that children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system are more likely to reoffend than those held in the juvenile justice

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.

Minors that do serious crimes, like assault or drug trafficking, shouldn’t be charged as adults. Some people say,”Old enough to do the crime, old enough to do the time”,but sending them to an actual adult jail, will make them much more worse, rather then giving them the help they need. According to the Centres for Disease Control, young people who are charged as adults are nearly 35% likelier to be rearrested than those who are tried as juveniles. Minors tried as juveniles are less likely to be rearrested because, they get the help they need. The minors in a juvenile facility receive counseling and other support they need to turn their life around. From The New York Times Upfront magazine, a 17 year old who was charged for attempt of murder was send to a juvenile facility and really turned his life around, having a bachelor’s degree and planning to graduate high school.

Most people are against juveniles getting tried as adult in adult court because they might say “their young and doesn’t mean any harm” or “a minor doesn’t belong in a jail full of adult criminals.” But I say if they can commit a crime they can do the time. Also, most juveniles tried as adults or placed in adult facilities jails or prison, are denied education and most likely won’t finish school but if they were free it would most likely be the same because they either wouldn’t attend school or when they do go to school they cause problems and have a list of referrals’ or even kicked out of school or attends an alternative

Michele Deith said “Children brains are still under developed, then why tired them as an adult in court”. A child being tried as an adult effect their lives in many ways. The message of loss hope builds up in their minds prompting the idea that they can’t make mistakes. Because they fear they will always be tired unfairly. Also, being in prison for a life time for an ignorant mistake will make them more likely to commit more crimes. Crime records as a juvenile holds less than an adult record. Majority of juvenile cases are only classified as minor offensives. While, some cases may be different because of the crime, children should still be recognized for learning and should be held responsible however, not on an adult level.

Juveniles should not be tried as adults because it is proven that children are incapable of making a rational, mature decision on their own. Adolescents have a shorter experience in the world, their brains are still developing, they do not have the same responsibilities or rights as adults and they are easily influenced at this age. Let 's say a child around the age of twelve is playing with two other friends at his house. His mother and father both work constantly so these children are alone. They are snooping around in his dad 's room and find a gun. Not being old enough to understand or realize it 's not a good idea they begin to play with it. One of the children pulls the trigger not considering what could happen. He accidentally shoots on of the other children and he was instantly killed. They decide to call 911 and before they arrive the child that accidentally shot the other tells his friend to tell them that it was his fault because hed get in trouble by his mom. The boy agrees and tells the police it was his fault and he is sent to adult prison for the maximum sentence. Children are both easily influenced and not as intelligent compared to an adult. These children are so immature and underdeveloped they should not and cannot make rational decisions on their own.

Did you know that 16% of the crimes committed, were between the ages of 13-15 years old? Kids within that age limit, and any age limit should be tried as adults because they should be aware of what is good and what is not. An estimated 59% percent of the crimes made were under the of 18. That is over half of the crimes committed. That is why they should be tried as adults. In certain states most juveniles have to be 16 years of age to be eligible to be able to sign a adult court waiver. Also in a number of states minors from the ages 13 and above can also be subjected a waiver. However, in order for a minor to be charged as an adult they have to have a partially lengthy record amongst them. Another reason they would end up being tried, would be if the went to rehab and it didn’t work and they did something bad again. Next, laws will be addressed.

When we don’t try juveniles in adult court it can risk the lives of many. Some juveniles commit crimes to get away from horrible situations

Minors should not be tried as adults if accused of serious crimes because their brains are not fully developed, and sometimes kids do not know right from wrong. Some people might argue this statement, but put it this way; when you were nine years old, did you learn about serious crimes and punishments? Most likely not. Children that are young don’t know the consequences to their actions. One reason that children shouldn’t be tried as an adult is that sometimes society gets falsely influenced by movies or games that are only meant for adults.

They claim that it puts the young offender at risk because they could be sent to an adult correctional facility and lack the maturity to handle these situations. But if these juveniles are mature enough to commit a heinous crime then the juveniles should be mature enough to handle an adult prison system. Also they plead that the juvenile is giving a message of lost hope because there future will be gone by being put in an adult prison would release their name into the public and they may never get a chance at a normal life again. Well for example if the juvenile commits murder will the victim ever get a chance at a normal life again. In conclusion I believe that juveniles should be tried as adults because overall it would be beneficial in protecting the citizens of the United States of America.

Juveniles can be tried as adults for crimes ranging from kidnapping, murder, rape, arson, robbery, torture, assault, and more. Some of the cases that are sent to adult court are petty crimes, such as: underage drinking, possession of a controlled substance, and other minor crimes. The question is whether they should be tried as adults. These are all adult actions, on one hand, and may lead a person to wonder what brought a child to commit these crimes. One might further inspect that if a child or teenager is engaged in so-called “adult” activities, what kind of activities might a child choose to be involved in adulthood? What is the child’s background? Can you blame the child of a heroin addict for having access to drugs at a young age? Can you blame the child of a murderer for acting out? Yes, everyone has a choice even a child.

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.