Should Juveniles Be Tried As Adults?

Whether juveniles should be tried as adults in the justice system or not, has been an ongoing debate for many people. There has been many cases throughout time where people under the age of 18 have been tried as adults in the justice system. Information about this debate can be found in articles, novels, and podcasts. Typically people who are under the age of 18 are identified as a juvenile delinquent and go through different procedures after committing a crime. There is many examples and evidence of why juveniles should not be tried as adults. A juvenile is typically considered a person who is under 18 years of age.

There are many controversies that surround juveniles being rehabilitated rather than going through the adult justice system, but studies show that juveniles are not fully developed to be tried as an adult. One of the main questions that it always boils down to is “should juveniles be tried as adults?” in my opinion juveniles should not be tried as adults because of their age.

Many have discussed and argued if Juveniles should be charged as adults. Then there's others that believe that they shouldn't be charged as adults. However, juveniles should be tried as adults because they committed a crime in which they must pay for which they also knew it is wrong. They should be tried should depend on what age they are and what fractions have they encountered like rape, abuse, etc. If a 5 year old were to be playing with another kid and perhaps that 5 year old kills the child they have absolutely no idea of what they have done they are far too young to understand what they are doing or have done. Most of the time you have to take care of children because they are putting items in their mouth that they don’t know what it

Approximately two million adolescents a year are arrested and out of that two million, 60,000 of them are incarcerated according to the American Journal of Public Health. The 60,000 incarcerated adolescents each year are being tried as adults in court because of the serious crimes they have committed. The crimes they have committed are anything from armed robbery to murder. Some juveniles might be first time offenders and others might be repeat offenders. Crimes have always been a major issue in the United States and can cause controversy in the criminal justice system. Charging a minor as an adult in criminal court varies from state to state based on each state’s jurisdiction. Some states consider anyone up to the age of 18 still a juvenile and would not be charged as an adult in criminal court, but other states may charge a juvenile as an adult at the age of 16 or 17. Jordan (2014) states, “Although states already had methods for transferring youth to the adult system, as a result of the growing fear of juvenile violence, most states implemented new laws to increase the number of youth entering the adult criminal system’ (Bernard & Kurlychek, 2010; Torbet et al., 1996)” (p. 315). While it sounds beneficial to incarcerate more adolescents in the adult criminal justice system to avoid juveniles from committing crimes in the future, that is not always the case. Incarcerating these juveniles can be life changing in a negative

Juveniles should be tried as adults because they only serve a few years in prison, they deserve a harsher punishment, and they are committing crimes at a younger age.

Should a teenager that murdered his entire family go to prison? How about a kid who rapes his sister and her best friend? Criminal defendants under the age of 18 are sent to juvenile court. In this court, you will not be tried in front of a jury. Instead, the judge will look at the evidence presented and decide on whether or not you have commited the crime.

The numbers of Juveniles being tried, and convicted as adults within the U.S are beginning to rise drastically. There are many reasons for the sudden increase such as lack of space in juvenile detention centers, and the rise in repeat offenders. This is starting to become a serious issue due to the effects that this act has on kids under the age of 18 no matter the crime at hand. Cambridge Dictionary describes a Juvenile Delinquent as, “a young person, usually under 18, who commits a crime” (Cambridge Dictionary) Many Juveniles are being tried as adults as well as convicted due to the crime committed. Though this is a strong argument as to why they should be allowed to live among adult convicts, the effects that this move can have on juveniles

The main reason for this is to learn more and have a better understanding of how Juvenile Courts work and about there Juvenile Court Sentencing Options. Kent Scheidegger, legal director, of the criminal justice legal foundation, states that “Most teenagers, know enough to be tried in adult court,” "Minors aren’t fully capable of understanding what is going on, I find not credible in the case of intellectually normal teenagers." he said. Research on the youths brain development shows that teens have a different understanding and common sense from adults. There are discussions among the juvenile courts whether

According to statistics, juveniles being tried as adults is not a new phenomenon. Since the beginning of the juvenile court, juveniles have been eligible to be tried as adults for the commission of capital crimes. However, starting in the 1960s and 1970s and mounting in the 1980s and 1990s, there has been an extensive upsurge in the number of juveniles tried as adults as well as a rise in research on the topic. This increase has coincided with the proliferation of laws that cover and dictate

Throughout the United States juveniles have been repeatedly tried, and punished for their crimes committed as young adolescents. In the juvenile system, they are rehabilitated for their offenses rather than being punished in adult prisons. To other people it may seem like America is a great place to come to be free, and valued by our peers but in reality, children are placed in unsafe, unregulated facilities with adult criminals, where adults stay because of the crimes they committed. Their actions influence the lives of these young juveniles. Juveniles should not be tried as adults because it violates the 8th Amendment, the adolescent’ brain is undeveloped, and lastly, it empowers them to commit more crimes.

Juvenile Delinquents being charged and tried as adults Could you imagine your child being thrown into a jail with many older adults who have committed harsh crimes? Many of the nations debates are whether juveniles should be tried and charged as an adult. Like every debate there’s two sides to the story. In many cases there has been young children being charged as an adult to life in prison. With taking in account to brain development and the reasoning to what they did, many would argue that it was an unfair decision to make.

Much controversy exists on the question of whether a juvenile criminal should be punished to the same extent as an adult. Those who commit capitol crimes, including adolescents, should be penalized according to the law. Age should not be a factor in the case of serious crimes. Many people claim that the child did not know any better, or that he was brought up with the conception that this behavior is acceptable. Although there is some truth to these allegations, the reality of this social issue is far more complex. Therefore we ask the question, Should childhood offenders of capitols crimes be treated as adults?

Today, society often has controversial arguments about whether adolescents who commit serious crimes should be in the juvenile system or tried as adults. Some people believe that light sentences don't teach kids the lesson they need to learn; If you commit a terrible crime you have to spend a significant time in jail for it. Once teens commit crimes, such as murder, they have already chosen the path of life for themselves. Others argue that the juvenile system can help teens turn their lives around because the rehabilitation gives them a second chance. Statistics from 15 states show that juveniles tried in the adult court system were rearrested 82% of the time.

In August of 2004, Robert Acuna as sentenced to the death penalty. His crime? Shooting his two elderly neighbors, James and Joyce Carroll, "execution style" and then proceeding to steal their car. This heinous crime only adds to the current debate: should juveniles be sentenced as adults? The answer is yes, there should be no leniency displayed towards minors who commit the same serious crimes as adults. Although young, juveniles should be capable of understanding the serious extent of the crime they commit. Sentencing juveniles as adults will prevent perpetrators of major crimes, such as mass murder, from walking free. Furthermore, judges are well qualified to determine if a juvenile should be put on adult trial. Juvenile sentencing as adults is not a wrong but rather a form of justice in the face of rising teen violence.

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.