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Juveniles Should Be Tried As Adults Essay

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It can often be forgotten in society that adults are not the only individuals who commit heinous crimes or sent to court and given sentences that include life in prison without the possibility of parole. Murder, armed robbery, sexual assault, these crimes being executed by not only adults, but juveniles under the age of 18. Throughout history, juvenile justice has remained an issue and the debate on whether juveniles should be tried as adults. In America, each state possesses their own laws in which they determine how a juvenile should be tried and whether they should be transferred into an adult court. During the 1990’s the rise of juvenile justice came into full swing, and the term “superpredators” was used to describe the youth as “dangerous” …show more content…

The seriousness of a crime plays a major factor in whether a juvenile is tried as an adult. Murder, armed robbery, and sexual assault are normally felonies that fall under the category of heinous crimes significant enough to transfer juveniles into adult courts. Certain laws can also effect how a young person is tried, especially when it comes to the Felony Murder Doctrine. This legal doctrine broadens the range of people who can be convicted during a crime, and in several cases has allowed juveniles to be convicted and given the same sentence as an adult. Similar to the Felony Murder Doctrine, different states set up certain laws that make it easier to prosecute children as adults. California is one of the states that passed Proposition 21, designed to create harsher restrictions for anyone under the age of 18. Juveniles cases, after Proposition 21 was passed, allowed more children to be transferred into adults courts and given harsher sentences. The juvenile justice system has changed drastically over the years and remains a serious topic. Whether an individual’s opinion is for or against the juvenile justice system, the truth of the matter is, it is completely possible for young people to be tried and sentenced as adults, every case is viewed and treated

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