Should Juveniles Be Tried As Adults Essay

Article 37 of the United Nations convention on the rights of children, ratified by every country in the world (except the United states and Somalia), expressly prohibits capital punishment for crimes committed by juveniles under 18. Under many laws, juveniles do not commit crimes but rather delinquent acts. However, some of these acts would constitute serious crimes if they were to be committed by adults. The debate remains to focus on whether or not juveniles are mature enough to see the consequences of their actions, and if they should be punished accordingly in adult courts. Another important consideration in this argument is the fact that juveniles in youth courts are being punished too mildly, and the fact that juveniles brains are not developed enough to understand their actions.

The main argument of the debate against juveniles being tried as adults is maturity. At the age of 16, one is

There needs to be more intervention to prevent these juveniles from committing crimes. Throwing these children in jail would take away much of their hope of rehabilitation. There is also a possibility that those in adult jails would come out as a hardened criminal, even more likely to re-offend. However, while I can consider this point of view, juveniles must spend time in appropriate punishment and realise the true consequences of their actions. We can not always use a child’s upbringing as an excuse for taking someone's life.

In conclusion, juveniles should be tried as adults as they are capable of thinking and acting like an adult, and therefore need to be punished accordingly. They are punished to mildly for the severity of the crimes they commit. Therefore, there must need to be more intervention to prevent these juveniles from committing crimes, and give them the future they need to grow to their full