preview

Juveniles Should Be Tried As Adult Criminals: Article Analysis

Decent Essays
Open Document

Violent juveniles should be considered as adult criminals. Many violent juveniles commit heinous crimes, but only given small sentences or probation. During the probation period, violent juveniles still commit similar crimes because they never realize the consequences of their actions. Juveniles should be treated as adult criminals because many of them are repeated offenders. If you let a problem continue on, it only seems to get worst. With many of these juveniles when they do not learn from the first crime they commit they move on to more serious crimes. Consequently, many juveniles pose a serious threat to people’s lives. Their actions are horrific and it is almost like they have no regard for anyone’s well being. For example, sixteenth …show more content…

It is shocking how young children can decide they want to kill their teacher or mother. For example, Nathaniel Brazill, a fourteen year old child killed his English teacher in two thousand. If this child would have known that if he might be put away for a lengthy period, he might have thought twice before acting on his thoughts. Yes, he may need rehabilitation, but it is still the fact that if the issue is not dealt with he may still feel as though killing anyone is okay. In the magazine article, “Should the Law Treat Kids and Adults Differently?” states, “Wednesday, fourteen year old Nathaniel Brazill was found guilty of second-degree murder for killing his English teacher last year” (Reaves, 2001). At only fourteen this child took someone’s life; the teacher could have been someone’s mother, daughter and etcetera. A life cannot be replaced so by making an example of one child, other children can learn about the consequences of their actions. In the magazine article, it states, “When a child kills, does he instantly become an adult? Or does he maintain some trappings of childhood…” (Reaves, 2001). When a child chooses to kill they are deciding that they do not need a childhood. They may still be a child but by performing the act of killing, try are opening the door for people to view them as an adult. Children should not have the mindset to kill …show more content…

Juvenile courts appear to be very lenient with dealing with crimes these young juveniles commit. If juvenile courts do not want to properly deal with the juvenile crimes then adult courts should be more effective. In this process it would allow these juveniles to learn about how severe their actions are and what it can bring for their future. In the article, “Some Juvenile Offenders Should Be Treated as Adults” states, “Juvenile courts faced another challenge in the late 1980s and early 1990s: rising juvenile murder rates that led to greater public concern over the effectiveness of the juvenile courts” (Stobla, 2004). Just from this piece of evidence the juvenile courts are not doing what they need to do because the fact that juvenile murder is rising should prove that they need to be punished more severely. These juveniles need to be charged as adults to limit the killings. In the same article, it states, “In eighteen century…At the time, the law considered children under the age of seven as lacking full moral capacity and incapable of giving consent” (Stobla, 2004). Now yes certain juveniles under a certain age like seven do not quite understand the full difference of right and wrong. That does not excuse juveniles who are the ages of twelve to seventeen. Yes, they still may be young, but they should understand the concept that

Get Access
Related
Get Access