Reasons Why Child Soldiers Are Criminals

First of all, the children are being used for war crimes and they are underaged. When you join the military you have to be over or right at a certain age. When the military needed men they went to children and the government had enforced a statement saying “15 is considered too young to fight.”(7) Also, if children are too young to fight then they are also “considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations.” (7) In the article “Armed and Underaged” by Jeffrey Gettleman, a reporter talked to a young boy , age 12, Awil. Awil told the reporter that he “enjoys the gun.”(6) Meaning that he knows nothing else about playing with his friends or anything. He has grown up all his life with a gun around. If the children

First, children are recruited into government armies or any private organization because they are acquiescent to people who tend to be older than them.

Many children in America do not consider the problem of child soldiers happening around the world today as an issue, and many do not even think about it. Child Soldiers are a continuous problem that should be stopped instantly. Child Soldiers are innocent children who are forced into armed forces and non- state armed groups. Today, there are approximately 300,000 child soldiers in war, and 40% of armed forces are using these children as soldiers. These children are helpless and have little to no choice to go into war and leave their family behind.

They include messengers, porters, spies, and sex slaves. So great is the diversity of tasks that many advocates now prefer the less punchy but more accurate term, children associated with fighting forces.” (Gates para 5) Why should an undereducated child who hasn’t committed any crimes besides being involved in a war that they didn’t want to fight be prosecuted for anything. Another example of how some child soldiers aren’t killers comes from an article titled “Prosecuting Child Soldiers For Their Own Safety.” this article says that not all child soldiers murder but some cook or as said in the article “Most girls are forcibly abducted and given roles as cooks, porters, spies, “wives”, and in combat, says Susan McKay of the University of Wyoming, who has interviewed girl soldiers throughout central Africa.” (Leahy para 10) clearly not all children in combat have committed crimes but are rather victims and shouldn’t be prosecuted for being in the military but should be helped and given a second chance at their

First off, child soldiers are often forced to be recruited. “Often they are abducted at school, on the streets or at home.” ("From Cradle to War." Amnesty International. Amnesty International USA, Web. 3 May 2016.) Almost all child soldiers are forced to do things as a soldier that they wouldn’t actually do, such as hurt or kill others. So although some child soldiers want to hurt or kill, most don’t want to. So obviously, most child soldiers are forced to do bad things that they don’t want to do, and wouldn’t do if they hadn’t become a soldier.

Have you ever been forced to do something you didn’t want to do? Many child soldiers go ask them selfs the question everyday. I feel that the child soldiers shouldn’t go to jail for their actions during war. Many people might not think the same as me, but i have several reasons to support my opinion.

The article, Should Child Soldiers be Prosecuted for Their Crimes, proves this when the author confirms, “Children are often desired as recruits because they can

In the article, Should child soldiers be prosecuted for their crimes?, it says, “If a child under the age of 15 is considered too young to fight, then he or she must also be considered too young to be held criminally responsible for serious violations of IHL while associated with armed forces or armed groups.” This shows that children are to young to fight so they are also too young to be punished. Also, when children are to young and fighting, they don’t have their parents to help them make good choices. The kids know nothing better but to fight for people that they think are doing the right thing.

There’s too much fighting and killing to know what’s going on. Little kids don’t need to be killing and/or get killed. Kids are too young to be getting put into battle and forced to fight. Some kids are probably not smart enough either. You could put them in the war and they don’t even know how to use a gun. They could also have no experience with a gun. They need to know all the parts of a gun and how the gus works. They might not know how to take the clip out of the gun so they can reload. Skill is one of the most important thing you need in battle. You need to know all of your skills and when to use them. If you are a kid that doesn’t have very good skill it will be tough to make it out

Child soldiers are victims of cruel recruiters who take advantage of their innocence, forcing them to commit acts that no child should ever experience. They are given drugs to brainwash them and make them unaware of what they are doing (Helping to heal child soldiers). The only things they know are the orders they’re given, orders that they can either follow or be killed (Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators). Child soldiers should be given amnesty as it is unjust to prosecute a child for actions they were forced to commit while under the influence of drugs. Instead, rehabilitation should be provided to give these children a second chance.

Because of that, the child soldiers are not morally responsible for the actions they perform. As said before, the children are easily brainwashed through alcohol and mainly drugs, so it’s not like they can say yes or no if they are asked if they are willing to be recruited into the

Child soldiers are victims to an unfortunate outcome when viciously stolen from reality and their childhoods. Drugged, brainwashed,and armed these kids are taught at an impressionable age that in war it's kill or be killed. They are given no other option than to participate in this war, so child soldiers should be granted amnesty.

Some believe that these children should be prosecuted because of the horrific acts they have committed. The author of Child Soldiers reveals that not all child soldiers are abducted and forced into the military. Some of these child soldiers chose to go into the military. For example, the author states, “Children often become child soldiers in acts of patriotism and in want to avenge the deaths of their family members. Furthermore, it would be false to proclaim that all

“Child soldiers are often victims of war themselves”. They were forced to fight because child soldiers are just children and they put themselves in a really hard position and they were abused aswell, “even though the child himself will probably have suffered abuse as well”. In my thinking, i think that getting children to be a soldier is illegal because why in the world would they pick children to be a soldier. “Moreover, they are already breaking the law by using child soldiers just because the child faces a risk of

As my senior year comes to an end and graduation gets near, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. This past few months, college acceptance letters have come in like crazy and scholarships are a must. Being a student athlete your dream is to keep playing and get your college paid for. Thankfully that dream has come true for me, unfortunately that means that my life is gonna change as I know it. When I graduate from Sam Houston High School, I will be pursuing my dreams out of state.