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Juveniles Should Be Tried As Adults Essay

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The human brain is not fully developed until you are in your mid-20s. Should people be tried as an adult for crimes they committed as juveniles, before they were even 18 years of age? Jose, only 15 year olds at the time of the crime, had a difficult life, grew up in a rough neighborhood, and was eventually arrested and brought to court for murder after participating in a deadly brawl. The first major turning point for juvenile legal rights occurred in 1966, in the case Kent v. United States, where the Supreme Court decided that a juvenile cannot be waived to adult court without first being given due process, which includes a hearing, assistance of counsel, and a statement of reasons. Another major milestone for juvenile legal rights was in 1967, in the …show more content…

Juveniles should be allowed to receive rehabilitation for crimes they have committed in order for them to correct their mistakes and be prepared for the real world once they become adults.
Juveniles should be given the chance to rehabilitate no matter how serious the crime, so that they are able to reenter society and become functioning adults. The first reason why juveniles should not receive adult sentences for their crimes is because it will never allow them to rehabilitate and reform to go back into the real world. Trevor Jones, 17 at the time of the crime, enlisted the help of a friend to help him sell a handgun. However, when Jones was showing the gun to his friend, he accidentally discharged the gun and killed his friend. Jones ended up turning himself in the next day. Jones was tried as an adult, and as a result, he received the harshest adult sentence the court could give him - life in prison without the possibility of parole. Since he was tried as an adult, he was not given a chance to fix

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