Equal Punishment for Adults and Juveniles

Alexus Ellis English 11 Mrs. Murphy 12 February 2014 Should Juveniles be tried as an adult? In some states “Juvenile” is the age of seventeen and younger. All states are different juveniles can also be an adult anywhere between 15 or 18 (Merrefield). If any juvenile commits a crime that an adult would get charged for and get served prison time a juvenile should as well. If the juvenile has committed crimes such as murder, possessing any illegal drugs, or maybe did something to get fined, they should pay the amount of money like an adult.

Recently, they have come to the conclusion that children between the ages of 16 and 18 who commit adult crimes should be tried and sentenced as adults. After researching information and cases of minors being tried as adults, I have concluded that if minor offenders were punished in the same degree as adult offenders are, the number of minors committing crimes might be reduced significantly. While it is not appropriate for these individuals to be placed in the same facilities as adult offenders, they should receive the same degree of punishment in a younger environment. These perpetrators are protected by a lenient and highly outdated juvenile system and violent youths have taken advantage of this system. In some jurisdictions, a child may have to commit 10 to 15 serious crimes before anything is actually done.

Due to the facts and evidence that United States have done on juvenile, in addition juveniles should be trial as an adult and do their time for the crime they committed. Many Americans agree that juvenile’s that commit highly crimes should be trial as an adult, and pay their consequences. “Juveniles fourteen years of age or older charged with committing certain types of murder or a series sex offense, under Prop 21, are generally no longer eligible for juvenile court and prosecutors are allowed to directly file charges against juvenile offenders in adult court...” (California Proposition 21). Under many circumstances juvenile at a very young age are committing certain types of crimes, and should be trial as an adult just because their teenagers committing crimes does not mean they did not know what they did. Many young teen are being let away for the crime they commit and should not be that way just because their loosing brain tissue does not mean they do not realize what they are doing that moment.

If the juvenile gets sent to a juvenile detention center for murder they will live their lives there until they are twenty one, but if tried as an adult they will serve so many years in prison. There is a grey area of law for certain teens that commit serious crimes. In this case of the grey law, each state gets to decide upon the particular state how they person is tried. For most cases pertaining to the juvenile courts are case by case bases. Many believe that it isn’t fair for the teens to be locked up with adults.

Juvenile crime or juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by teenagers who are under the age of eighteen. In several cases, teenagers can be tried as adults; there are many different opinions about teenagers being sent to jail. Many believe that teens shouldn't be tried as adults. In the other hand, others believe that teens who committed serious crimes should be tried as adults. It is true that teens sent to an adult prison disciplines them.

Espejo explains that those who break curfew laws may face penalties such as a fine, jail time, or a simple warning. The penalty is determined by the city or state just as is the age of those the law is applied to and the hour at which the law is applied (20). But teens are not the only people punished. Boyle argues that although most ... ... middle of paper ... ... adding a new law will not change anything. When teens are out after curfew, they are committing a crime, and therefore by default, adding to the list of juvenile criminals.

Whether or not it sounds right, young teenagers are just as dangerous as adults when it ... ... middle of paper ... ... best way to settle this problem is to treat young criminals as they deserve to be treated; like adults. Teens need to be held accountable for their actions. If they commit an adult crime, it is necessary for them to receive the adult punishment. Works Cited Dhawan ,Himanshi. “Juveniles involved in murder, rape may be tried as adults.” indiatimes.com.

How would you feel if the police arrested kids all over our country to jail for just crossing the street the wrong way or pushing another kid on the playground? That is what is happening to many underage juvenile all over the United States; they are being sent to adult prisons for crimes that do not deserve such severe punishments. Why they were tried as adults is an enigma and we will explain why this is a terrible injustice. In 1899 children in between the ages of 7-14 were believed they were incapable of committing criminal intent. The court system back then believed that if enough evidence could be gathered to convince a jury, the underage person would be convicted and sent to an adult prison.

Up until today, there has been an increment of youthful offenders being cased in criminal courts for usage of weapons. The physical and mental suffrage a youthful offender has gone through in the past, are leading factors that cause them to commit crimes. But when they are taken to be cased at a criminal court, their lives are put in danger to all dangerous risk factors. Youthful offenders get treated as adults when they have committed a crime and are sentenced for years depending on their case. Therefore, the criminal courts will not see the consequences when they put youthful offenders in adult prisons.

Throughout the past 30 years or so, the idea of a juvenile or teenager being tried as an adult has been a very controversial issue. When a juvenile commits a very heinous crime, many believe that that youth deserves to be tried as an adult, and given a full sentence. Some even believe that these juveniles deserve to go to adult prison. "When a child kills, does he instantly become an adult? Or does he maintain some trappings of childhood, despite the gravity of his actions?"