Under most state laws, juvenile offenders do not commit "crimes". They commit delinquent acts, some of which are acts that would constitute crimes if committed by an adult. The trial phase of a juvenile case is an adjudication hearing.(Should juveniles be tried as adults? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://malaysia.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120602234650AAayOa2) "This means that the judge listens to evidence presented and make the determination on whether the child is delinquent."The court may then take whatever action it deems to be in the child 's best interest".(Should juveniles be tried as adults? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://malaysia.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120602234650AAayOa2) Juveniles are tried but are not considered guilty because of the age they commit crimes and in the eyes of the public and psychologists, they have time to develop to make more sound decisions then at the young age they commit the crime. Youths have been committing crimes since the 1960’s and 1970’s and as the crimes have risen as they are more violent, there are valid reasons to try a child as an adult. There are three types of transfer laws: legislative (automatic transfer), judicial discretionary (judicial transfer), and prosecutorial-discretionary (prosecutorial direct-file) in which defines the type of transfer for the juvenile is eligible for depending on age criteria. (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5609a1.htm)
In the article titled, Reconsidering
Today, the juvenile system primary goals are crime reduction and rehabilitation. The juvenile officials must assess whether youthful offenders are likely to commit crimes in the future and whether they can benefit from interventions. If these kids cannot benefit, then they will most like end up a delinquent. In most states delinquency is defined as the commission of a criminal act by a child who was under the age of 18 at that time (Virginia Rules). Most states allow youth to remain under the supervision of the juvenile court until the age of 21, but this depends on the type of crime that was committed. There has been many times where a juvenile case was transferred to an adult criminal court. This would have to be done thru a process called a waiver. A waiver is when a judge waives the protections that the juvenile court provides (Larry J. Siegel). Cases that
In today's society, there are many crimes going on. Adults are not the only ones that commit crimes. One issue today is that juvenile offenses and whether juvenile offenders should be tried as adults in criminal court. A common phrase that is often used in this case of young juveniles committing crimes is "Old enough to do the crime, old enough to do the time." This phrase should be cleared to people that juveniles are not adults, and with this being said it will not make them one. "It has redefined juvenile offenses by treating most of them as delinquent acts to be adjudicated within a separate juvenile justice system that is theoretically designed to recognize the special needs and immature status of young people and emphasize rehabilitation over punishment" (Steinberg). While juveniles should be responsible for their actions, and should be held accountable for the crime, then the juvenile justice system is design to determine the consequences. Youths are still minors and are less mature. They often face a lot of negative peer pressure. Therefore, juveniles should not be tried in courts as adults.
This paper is an attempt to understand and point out the flaws in the legal system that has of late in many cases begun to treat juveniles in the same footing as adult offenders. There is a raging controversy over this move that makes young offenders to be tried and incarcerated just as if the crime was done by an adult. The arguments over this have been made in the Supreme Court and the land mark judgement Roper Vs Simmons (1995). However it is submitted that simple observations of the post procedure effects on young persons have not been verified or recorded properly. If this system continues, would it not be against the logic of creating the juvenile justice system
The juvenile justice system is very similar to that of an adult justice system. Young criminals go through the same process an adult criminal would go through, including: arrest, detainment, petitions, hearings, probation and reentry. Many states have different standards as to when a person is considered to be an adult, bringing lots of controversy. As fourteen states do not even have a minimum age a child could be tried as an adult. Why is it that children are not capable of understanding life until the age of eighteen and cannot make decisions for themselves, but once a crime is committed the child surely knew what they were doing and could be tried as an adult? If under the age of sixteen children should not be tried as adults, as many times children do not understand the consequences of their actions.
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.
Should juveniles be tried as adults? In my opinion I think they should because when you turn a certain age, you gain certain privileges. “You achieve certain rewards such as voting rights, the ability to purchase a house, the ability to purchase tobacco products at the local gas station, but most importantly the ability to be held responsible for your actions. When you turn 18 a whole other world opens for you, and that’s because an 18-year-old is considered an adult in nearly every state, which is a big deal for most teens. What most 18-year olds are not so happy about is the fact that they are no longer being tried for crimes in juvenile courts or treated as irresponsibly as when they were 17, 16, or 15. But even those young ages before
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.
To Be An Adult Depending on factors of the offense, age and past criminal history, some juvenile offenders should be tried as adults – if not to be placed in jail, to receive the help that they desperately need. There’s already a system in place, but ultimately it all comes down to the judge and the jury. Of course it’d make life simpler if we were to just throw them aside and send them off to where they can no longer do us any harm, but even though it sounds like the very best idea for our own self-preservation; it doesn’t help them, in fact it only hinders. Life is far too short, and if we choose to give up on our nation’s youth because of their misdeeds at such a young age then what hope should we have for their generation and the future of this country? None, because we have set them all up for failure.
Youth is defined as the period between childhood and maturity; an adolescent who have not fully developed. An adult is a person who is fully developed and is mature. Juveniles should not be tried as an adult because they are too young. Even though, some children believe that they are grown and can make their own decisions, they still are young.
Should juvenile ever be tried as adults? Yes, they should get punished for their acts. Just because they're just kids they don't get the full punishment they should get. If there was less juvenile crimmals out in the streets, it would be a lot safer for everyone.
as young as thirteen are sentenced as juveniles to life in prison without parole. Americans today
Have you ever thought about how severe juvenile crimes are and how they should be tried? Some juveniles commit crimes that are so bad that they could be tried as an adult. But, should they be tried as an adult depending on how bad the crime is?
The issue of juvenile transfer to criminal court is a very sensitive subject to every individual who care about the young ones in society, because it pertains to our youths who are considered to be “the future.” Many will ask if it is right for us to allow juveniles to be transferred to adult criminal court, and if so under what circumstances. Some believe that the best course of action regarding juvenile offenders is not transferring them to criminal court but rehabilitation – these individuals view punishment as a failed strategy for changing behavior, teaching skills, or developing new or more positive
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
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.