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.
It is up to the judge to decide the juvenile’s type and length of sentence. It’s depending upon the facts of the crime and its seriousness. Usually they fine you for lower level offenses, and use prison for the most serious crimes. If he or she is old enough to do the crime, they also could do the time, no matter what the age.
If a person is under age they should be placed in a detention center until they hit 18 to be officially charged as an adult. Crimes in the world now are becoming a big problem, because most crimes today are done by juveniles. Most of the juvenile delinquents was not born to have bad behavior or to have the instinct of committing crimes they have did. I think it starts from the family and how they were raised and what family members influenced them to criminal things. Not only do they learn that from family, but he or she could have picked things up like that from friends they have been around or maybe off television shows. Some juveniles are gang related and most crimes involves people losing their lives over it. Somehow, juveniles can maybe get it easier than someone that has already turned 18. Juveniles should be held until their court date or bond release just li...
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...all over the world should be tried as an adult because a crime is a crime no matter who committed and what age. If the judge dismiss the juveniles of the charges because of age, they will most likely commit even worse crimes later on. They will have a record that follows them for the rest of their life with them being charged as an adult it should prevent them to have access to weapons such as knives, and other registered weapons.
Keeping juveniles and other suspects that participates in criminal activities off the street would make the world a better place to be. Also it will lower the crime rate over the United States.
Bibliography
Ask. 25 12 2013.
Bryan Hancock, C., & Casey, S. EAPL Student Society. 17 1 2010.
Hchs. Teen Opinion Essay. n.d.
Malanceva, Oxana. dolescents Be Tried As Adults? 25 12 2013.
Merrefield, Clark. The daily beast. 26 11 2012.
A juvenile is a person under the age of 18. If he or she commits an offense that is considered a crime in the law of a state, including theft, assault, drug abuse, disorderly conduct, and curfew violations, that person is labeled as a juvenile delinquent. Similarly, if a juvenile commits an offense that is considered a crime in the juvenile code, including running away from home, truancy from school, and disobeying the lawful orders of parents or legal guardians, that person is also labeled as a juvenile
According to criminal.findlaw.com the definition of the juvenile justice system is the area of criminal law applicable to people not old enough to be held responsible for criminal acts. Juveniles are people 17 and under. Juveniles should be convicted as adults for violent crimes like assault or murder etcetera because if they can commit an adult crime they should get an adult punishment. Also if juveniles don’t get punished for their crimes then they’ll keep doing it because they got off unpunished the first time.
When comparing adults and juveniles in the terms of justice, I think we all can agree that adults should face greater punishments than a juvenile offender since the adult tends to have more common sense, and it’s not fair for a minor to face the same consequences as an adult. While this may be a preferred viewpoint, there are many factors to consider when viewing cases such as the severity of the crime, the situation the law breaker was in at the time of the crime, and most importantly the age of the criminal. When analyzing a juvenile offender, you must also take into consideration, that they are a minor, and don’t have as much understanding of the law as an adult may have. With these concepts in mind law enforcement is forced to analyze juvenile crimes more intensely to ensure that they are protected under the law, even though they’ve broken the law.
Juveniles are more than just kids. They are capable of doing anything an adult is capable of doing. One has probably heard the saying, “If you want to be treated like an adult, then act like an adult.” If they’re going to do crimes that “only” adults are capable of doing, then they should treated like an adult and be tried and sentenced like one. Imagine being close to a murder victim, wouldn’t you want them to feel hell? “How would you feel if you never got to see your child alive again while their killer served only a short sentence before being released from jail?” (hchs1259). This quote hits hard. One can only imagine being in the position of a parent whose child was murdered.
A crime is a crime regardless of age. If they did the crime, they should do the time. Juveniles try to push the law to the limits due to their age. They are unaware and don’t realize their criminal history will follow them all their lives. Juvenile offenders should be tried and punished as adults based on the crime, criminal history of the individual, and the personality of the offender.
A juvenile is defined as “physiologically immature or undeveloped” in the Merriam Webster dictionary. Throughout the years, laws have changed and teenagers who commit crimes are going to be tried as adults. This is a very big issue because many people have different opinions. Juveniles who commit adult crimes should be given a proper sentence based on the level of their crime because of the goals of the criminal justice system and the teen’s level of competency.
There is a no exceptions when it comes to minors trying to purchase alcohol. If your twenty-first birthday is tomorrow they will not sell you alcohol. There isn 't an exception that states sometimes it is acceptable if the buyer deserves it. When a defendant is put on trial it needs to be the same way. It doesn 't matter what the crime is, age should effect where the criminal is facilitated. With age serving no factor it shows this double standard with the court system. If you send these criminals to adult facilities you are setting them up for failure in the future. Juveniles are never held as responsible as adults in our society. If a child gets in trouble at a young age in school, their parents are called. The idea here is that if it is a criminal action all of our beliefs change when in reality it is still a juvenile who isn 't fully matured and makes mistakes. It is not acceptable to let a criminal off with what they have done because of their age. It is necessary to facilitate them with other adolescents to protect
Juvenile Justice Juvenile justice is the decision whether or not to charge a juvenile as an adult. When a juvenile is charged as an adult, they are sentenced to long prison terms and sometimes life. In 2012 two groups of judges came together, one group believes that Juveniles should be allowed to be sentenced to life in prison and the other group believes that Juveniles should not be allowed to be sentenced to life in prison. I agree with the group of judges that believe that juveniles should not be sentenced to life in prison. Age is a factor in why juveniles should not be sentenced to life in prison.
Many people say that the systems first priority should be to protect the public from the juvenile criminals that are a danger to others. Once the juveniles enter the system there is however, arguments on what should be done with them. Especially for those deemed too dangerous to be released back to their parents. Some want them locked away for as long as possible without rehabilitation, thinking that it will halt their criminal actions. One way to do this they argue would be to send them into an adult court. This has been a large way to reform the juvenile system, by lowering the age limits. I believe in certain cases this is the best method for unforgiving juveniles convicted of murder, as in the case of Ronald Duncan, who got away with a much lesser sentence due to his age. However another juvenile, Geri Vance, was old enough to be sent into the adult court, which caused him t...
once the minor has committed a violent crime, they are no longer a kid. The minor had the ability to know right from wrong, but he still chose to commit the heinous crime anyway. Choosing to commit this violent crime means that the minor chose to act as an adult and must be held accountable. Once the minor has made the decision to act as an adult, they must be treated as an adult. If we do not teach minors that what they did has consequences they will never learn. Arguments can be made that minors should not be treated as adults and while these arguments do have merit, they are not my beliefs. In my opinion, minors who commit violent crimes need to be tried as adults. Justice does not discriminate when it comes to age. Right is right, and wrong is wrong and the wrong should be punished equally.
The United States has been affected by a number of crimes committed by juveniles. The juvenile crime rate has been increasing in recent years. Everyday more juveniles commit crimes for various reasons. They act as adults when they are not officially adults. There is a discussion about how juveniles should be punished if they commit heinous crimes. While many argue that juveniles who commit serious crimes, such as murder, should be treated as adults, the fact is, juveniles under the age of eighteen, are not adults, and should not be treated as such.
In juvenile court, the judge must decide if the teen gets tried as an adult or minor. 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. The U.S. House of Representatives made the Juvenile Justice Act encouraging states to find alternatives to having the teens go through such a process with people much older than themselves (Locked Up…).
"Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time." -- David Grusin and Morgan Ames Much controversy exists on the question of whether a juvenile criminal should be punished to the same extent as an adult. Those who commit capital crimes, including adolescents, should be penalized according to the law. Age should not be a factor in the case of serious crimes.
Their sentences depend on the crime they have committed and how their attitude is towards it. The judge also considers if they have done any previous crimes. Some consequences given are community service (where the offender serves in the community under strict circumstances). Another consequence can be custody and supervision sentences (where a youth spends a period of time in a youth custody facility and a period of community supervision). For example, if one had less than 30 grams of marijuana, the penalty for a first criminal offense is getting a criminal record by having a criminal record it can prevent you from traveling to other countries, getting certain jobs, being bonded (which some jobs require) and applying for citizenship.
People support sending juveniles to adult prisons for many reasons. One reason is that it is the job of the courts to help protect society. Once a troubled juvenile is sent to an adult prison, they are out of the way of society. Hopefully when they re-enter, the punishments they received will be imprinted in their brain and stop them from performing any wrong again. Another reason people think that disturbed youth cannot be saved is that punishment will not save them from themselves and they just need to be locked up forever. It is thought to be true that juveniles who are sent to jail will not commit the same crime again or even any crimes at all. All the reasons and opinions that say that juveniles should be sent to adult prisons for their heinous crimes seem logical. Despite this, they are not. There are more rational reasons why adolescents should be sent to their own private penitentiary.