Juveniles Should Not Be Tried As Adults Essay

There are times juveniles should not be convicted as adults because sometimes the “crimes” may not harsh enough to be charged as an adult. For example, if a 8 year old saw a gun in their mother's purse and thought it was a toy and grabbed it and began to shoot who would be at fault ? Plus children in adult prisons are 10 times more likely to be taken advantage of in their time. Research shows that children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system are more likely to reoffend than those held in the juvenile justice

Childhood is a time in which memories are created, adventures are explored and social awareness begins to develop. The events that occur during childhood are pivotal in the development of a healthy and substantial life. However, what if those experiences were taken from a child? What would the outcome be if a child could not experience what it is like to be young? Juvenile incarceration strips a person of their childhood and essentially takes away the experiences necessary for them to develop into healthy functioning adults. Even though juvenile incarceration is an effective method of punishment for those who have committed heinous crimes, the justice system should not convict children and adolescents as adults because of the child 's circumstances that lead to the crime as well as the disastrous effects it causes on the mental and emotional state of the child.

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

They need opportunities to change their lives around. An example is 12 year-old Lionel Tate. He was playing with a 6 year-old and was practicing wrestling moves on him. The 6 year-old ended up dying and Tate was sentenced to life in prison (McCrea 11) This is an example of a juvenile being sent to prison and not getting the chance to succeed in life.

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”

Juveniles should not be tried as adults because it is proven that children are incapable of making a rational, mature decision on their own. Adolescents have a shorter experience in the world, their brains are still developing, they do not have the same responsibilities or rights as adults and they are easily influenced at this age. Let 's say a child around the age of twelve is playing with two other friends at his house. His mother and father both work constantly so these children are alone. They are snooping around in his dad 's room and find a gun. Not being old enough to understand or realize it 's not a good idea they begin to play with it. One of the children pulls the trigger not considering what could happen. He accidentally shoots on of the other children and he was instantly killed. They decide to call 911 and before they arrive the child that accidentally shot the other tells his friend to tell them that it was his fault because hed get in trouble by his mom. The boy agrees and tells the police it was his fault and he is sent to adult prison for the maximum sentence. Children are both easily influenced and not as intelligent compared to an adult. These children are so immature and underdeveloped they should not and cannot make rational decisions on their own.

Finally, I believe that by being rehabilitated the juvenile will have a better chance at life because eventually they will be back in society.

Juveniles should be tried as adults no matter the crime. Should juveniles be tried as adults is a question asked by most people, Being a juvenile is referring to someone who is young. Juveniles should be tried as adults because they want to act like they know everything, juveniles should be able to know what is right and what is wrong, juveniles should be able to make wise decisions and juveniles should not be tried as adults because they have a whole child hood ahead of them.

Juveniles who have been placed into the adult prison system face significant roadblocks to future individual growth because their records are not sealed like those of minors tried in the juvenile justice system. Many employers and supervisors are unwilling to hire someone with an adult criminal record or pay such individuals similar wages to those without any interaction with the justice system. Juveniles placed in adult prisons in Texas face hurdles in their intellectual growth, both while paying their debt to society and after they have been restored to their community. Lastly, juveniles and their families face significant roadblocks to securing somewhere to live after the juvenile is released from

According to Caldwell (1961) the juvenile justice system is based on the principle that youth are developmentally and fundamentally different from adults. According to Mack (1909) the focus of the juvenile justice system has shifted from “was the crime committed” to “why did the child commit the crime”, “how can we help the child”. When performing as it is designed and up to the initial intentions, the juvenile court balances rehabilitation (treatment) of the offender with suitable sanctions when necessary such as incarceration. According to Griffin (2008) in some cases juveniles may be required to be “transferred” to adult court. In this paper I am going to discuss the three primary mechanisms of waiver to adult court: judicial waiver

Crimes are most associated with adults. Murder is especially most associated with adults. When a teenager commits such a crime such as murder they must be tried, and they should not be treated with leniency and coddling, but with the full force of the law as an adult.

Juveniles can be tried as adults for crimes ranging from kidnapping, murder, rape, arson, robbery, torture, assault, and more. Some of the cases that are sent to adult court are petty crimes, such as: underage drinking, possession of a controlled substance, and other minor crimes. The question is whether they should be tried as adults. These are all adult actions, on one hand, and may lead a person to wonder what brought a child to commit these crimes. One might further inspect that if a child or teenager is engaged in so-called “adult” activities, what kind of activities might a child choose to be involved in adulthood? What is the child’s background? Can you blame the child of a heroin addict for having access to drugs at a young age? Can you blame the child of a murderer for acting out? Yes, everyone has a choice even a child.

In today’s society there has been an increase in the crimes committed by juveniles. Most juveniles have underlining factors that have caused them to choose this type of lifestyle. Many children in the juvenile system have come from impoverish stricken neighborhoods and are festered with gang activity which has made them a product of their environment. The minds of adolescents do not allow them to see how they are affecting their lives. A study was conducted, and according to the article, “Adolescents in Adult Court: Does the Punishment Fit the Criminal?”, when children mature, they will look back at their past and possibly leave their surroundings. Think about two people committing the same crime, both with the same thought process and ability to make decisions, except one is a juvenile and the other is grown. Due to the lack of experience in decision-making or the time to evaluate the situation like the adult, the youth should be viewed as irresponsible. The fact that a child’s mind is still maturing should reassure people that they will not be the same person incarcerated a few years later.

- Speaking frankly, murderers, rapists, and drug dealers are being released daily after only serving short sentences. If we can all agree that a criminal is a criminal. Then what makes juveniles so special? Nothing. Teenagers are getting treated like toddlers who don’t know consequences, given less time in prison and are defended by the justice system.

Many young adolescents who have committed horrendous crimes have been a huge topic amongst the Supreme Court. Whether young adolescents are viewed as innocent, naive children to the public, this not changed the fact they can commit brutal crimes. In spite of the fact that adolescents have committed brutal crimes such as murder, one needs to understand that their brains are not as fully developed as an adult brain would be. Adolescents should not be trialed to a life sentence or attend adult prisons; however, they should be punished for their actions and undergo rehabilitation programs to help them be prepared to fit in with the rest of society.