A Bad Decision

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Recommended: Sociological theories pertaining to juvenile crime

Young teenagers don’t realize the trouble they can get into when they don’t consider their behaviors. Juvenile offenders do not measure the consequences of committing a crime and how a bad decision will dramatically change their lives, as well. I think juvenile offenders should not be sentence nor tried as adults because of their young age and their lack of maturity.
One reason, why I think juvenile offenders should not be tried as an adult is because they’re weak minded and have no control over their reasoning abilities. For example, I have a friend whose son committed a crime as juvenile and was tried as an adult in a non-homicide case; this decision shock my friend because this was his first offense and he was seventeen years old at the time. In addition, the judge sentences him to five years rather than to think that he had a moment of weakness because of his age. In the article, “Youthful offenders deserve a second chance” the authors Miriam Aroni Krinsky, Ernie Pierce, and Jeanne Woodford state “most kids get caught up in crime without analyzing the consequences of their acts” the authors also state that “research confirms that teenagers have weak impulse control and reasoning abilities”. Again, a juvenile never stops to think what would happen before he or she commits a crime they don’t measure to what extent their lives will change when committing an offense against another individual.
Another reason why I think juvenile offenders should not be tried as adults is because many of these juveniles come from an unfit home that can lead them to call out for attention by committing a crime and see if anyone would care. For example, my friend was very young when she started to display bad behaviors to call out for her parents ...

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...hange their lives forever. I think juvenile offenders should not be sentence nor tried as adults. Let’s also consider the lack of maturity in these juvenile offenders and let’s ponder that their mental capacity is still developing. Nevertheless, let’s not forget how an unfit, abusive, and peer pressure can influences them to commit a crime without thinking. Looking ahead let’s offer these juvenile offenders a chance by assisting them with the help and resources they need; rather than to sentence them to a life in prison.

Works Cited

Cashmore, Judy. "The link between child maltreatment and adolescent offending." Family Matters. 89. (2011): 31-41. Print.
Krinsky , Aroni Miriam et al. "Youthful offenders deserve a second chance." Los Angeles Times 02 June 2010, n. pag. Print.
"Supreme Court, a Pro & Con." Life Without Parole for Minors. 13. (2010): 11-22. Print.

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