Approximately 107,000 youth younger than 18 is incarcerated on any given day “Juveniles in Adult Prisons and Jails”. There are so many arguments about if juveniles should be tried as adults. In my opinion, I don’t believe they should, mostly because the juvenile mind isn’t fully developed. In every state there are different rules and requirements for the juvenile to be tried as an adult. Instead of putting these Juveniles in prisons and jails there are different facilities these juveniles can be housed in. Inside prison the juveniles are isolated from everything and it affects them harshly. Juveniles shouldn’t be punished by being put into prisons or jails, there are so many other options to choose that aren’t as harsh. To begin, Juveniles …show more content…
When these juveniles are in prison it affects them mentally and emotionally. Prison isolation reflects the definition of torture as articulated in different international human rights "Thousands of Teenage Prison Inmates Kept in Isolation". The United Nations Convention Against Torture defines any act as “by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person” to obtain information, punish for an act, intimidate or coerce, or for any reason based on discrimination "Thousands of Teenage Prison Inmates Kept in Isolation". There are other specialized facilities instead of solitary confinement, rather than jail or prison, there are houses designed for these juveniles. They are staffed with specially trained personnel and they help encourage positive behavior on the kids. These facilities would be so much better and healthier for these juveniles because some of them spend more than six months in solitary confinement which affects both these young men and women. One juvenile who was placed in solitary confinement before he was 18 shared a little bit about how he felt inside the prison. Kyle B from California said “Being in isolation felt like I was on an island all alone, dying a slow death from the inside out” "Thousands of Teenage Prison Inmates Kept in Isolation". Kyle is 1 out of thousands of juveniles across the United States spending weeks, months and even years with virtually no human contact or meaningful motivation "Thousands of Teenage Prison Inmates Kept in
There is a great deal of controversy over the trying and sentencing of juvenile offenders today. Many will argue that because the severity of Juvenile crimes has risen, the severity of its consequences should rise; however, no matter how serious the crime is, juvenile offenders tried as adults receive far worse than they deserve. The majority of Juveniles tried as adults are hardly given any form of human rights. Adult jails are not the environment children should have to experience, especially those sentenced for misdemeanors and nonviolent crimes. There are other solutions to reducing juvenile crime. It does not take adult court to straighten out kids on the wrong path. Most children are not even able to recognize that what they had done is wrong. There may be no perfect solution to reducing juvenile crime, but there are ways far more effective than adult trying and sentencing.
Juvenile solitary confinement is a way to punish poor behavior in the United States juvenile prison system. However after long term negative side effects that isolation can cause in teens, the General public has been in support of isolation alternatives. In this paper I will be discussing the state by state solitary confinement rules and regulations, how rehabilitation and therapeutic services can be a healthy option as an alternative to confinement and how our nation’s youth don’t always have to feel that segregation is the only form of discipline.
...t in solitary confinement because they cannot handle the isolation. When a human being is confined to a small, windowless room in complete isolation from other human beings, the results can only be negative. Communication is key to survival, people feed off of each other to survive. Furthermore, when a human being is deprived of communication and is forced to be alone, it is an unknown experience to them. Nothing in life can prepare someone for this sick excuse of a punishment- the degree of isolation that one is expected to endure in solitary confinement is inhumane. Young people are a lot more vulnerable than adults; therefore the physical and mental effects of isolation take a greater toll on adolescents than on adults. It is not only unlawful but also implacable to place any human being, much less an adolescent, through such a ruthless form of ‘discipline’.
Today, the court system in this country is divided into two groups when comparing juveniles and adults. One is the Adult Criminal Justice System, and the other is the Juvenile Justice System. The terminology can be very different between the two systems. For instance; if an adult is arrested, they will be subject to a bail hearing. If a juvenile is arrested they must go through a detention hearing. Adults have trials which can be decided by a judge or jury. Juveniles go through a fact finding hearing and don’t receive verdicts because they are adjudicated. “They are not found guilty, but delinquent or involved” (Komiscruk). Another difference between the two is that juvenile court rooms are usually closed to the public, which includes the media. Their records are often confidential, protecting children from carrying the burdens of their delinquent activity into adulthood. Also, their records are supposed to be sealed. But what happens when a juvenile’s criminal case is transferred to an adult court? Are the guidelines or rules different from any other adult offender? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the sentencing guidelines?
In the last 42 years little to no changes have been made to correct the standards that govern punitive measures towards juvenile delinquency. Today juvenile law is governed by state and many states have enacted a juvenile code. However, in numerous cases, juveniles are transferred to adult court when juvenile courts waive or relinquish jurisdiction. Adolescents should not be tried in the adult court system or sentenced to adult penitentiary's on account of: teen brains are not mature which causes a lack of understanding towards the system, incarceration in an adult facility increases juvenile crime, and children that are sentenced to adult prison are vulnerable to abuse and rape.
Imagine. You are alone with your thoughts. There is nothing that can separate you from their unpredictable horrors because you spend 23 hours a day completely alone. In silence you wait, desperate for a chance to leave the four-walled, concrete cell you now call home. These are the conditions of solitary confinement that are still in widespread use throughout America today. Although solitary confinement may seem like the safest way to protect other prisoners, guards and even the inmate himself, it is an inhumane and cruel punishment and it has the opposite effect of what prisons are intended for. .
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...
Solitary confinement is a penal tactic used on inmates who pose a threat to themselves or other inmates. Solitary confinement is type of segregated prison in which prisoners are held in their cell for 22-24 hours every day. If they are allowed to leave their cell, they will silently walk shackled and in between two guards. They can only leave for showers or exercise. Their exercise and shower are always done alone and inside. They can exercise in fenced in yards surrounded by concrete. Solitary confinement is either used as a punishment for prison behaviors, a protection method for targeted inmates, or a place to keep prisoners who are a threat to the general prison population. Many prisoners are put in Administrative Segregation for their protection. Many prisoners in this type of segregation are teenagers, homosexuals, and mentally ill prisoners. Many mentally ill prisoners are sent to solitary confinement because there are not rehabilitation services available, and prison officials have run out of options (Shalev, 2008, p [1-2]). Solitary confinement is a convenient method for prison systems, but the detrimental effects on inmates make it an unsuitable option for inmate control.
A deep look into juveniles in adult prisons. Touch bases on several smaller issues that contribute to juveniles being in and effects of adult prisons. The United States Bureau of Prisons handles two hundred and thirty-nine juveniles and their average age is seventeen. Execution of juveniles, The United States is one of only six countries to execute juveniles. There are sixty-eight juveniles sitting on death row for crimes committed as juveniles. Forty-three of those inmates are minorities. People, who are too young to vote, drink alcohol, or drive are held to the same standard of responsibility as adults. In prisons, they argue that the juveniles become targets of older, more hardened criminals. Brian Stevenson, Director of the Alabama Capital Resource Center said, “We have totally given up in the idea of reform of rehabilitation for the very young. We are basically saying we will throw those kids away. Leading To Prison Juvenile Justice Bulletin Report shows that two-thirds of juveniles apprehended for violent offenses were released or put on probation. Only slightly more than one-third of youths charged with homicide was transferred to adult criminal court. Little more than one out of every one hundred New York youths arrested for muggings, beatings, rape and murder ended up in a correctional institution. Another report showed a delinquent boy has to be arrested on average thirteen times before the court will act more restrictive than probation. Laws began changing as early as 1978 in New York to try juveniles over 12 who commit violent crimes as adults did. However, even since the laws changed only twenty percent of serious offenders served any time. The decision of whether to waive a juven...
1. What is the difference between a. and What are the five goals of juvenile corrections? How effectively are these goals achieved? The goals of juvenile corrections are to deter, rehabilitate and reintegrate, prevent, punish and reattribute, as well as isolate and control youth offenders and offenses. Each different goal comes with its own challenges.
Nowadays, the topic of the Juvenile law system is a very controversial as well as difficult discussion to have. For every court case, trial, and scenario, there are many different circumstances that may affect the outcome. Due to the seriousness of their crimes or even their past offenses, juvenile criminals can sometimes be tried as adults. Personally, in the beginning of this assignment, I could see both sides of the argument. There are many reasons why children under the age of 18 should be tried as children, however, there are more proficient reasons as to why we should do away with juvenile court. Many of my peers do not think this, however, they are keen on keeping children tried as children. I truly cannot fathom the “good” that this is doing though. I believe that juvenile offenders should be trialed as adults because they were mature enough to make the decision to commit a crime, they need to be held responsible for their destructive actions, and statistics have shown that when given the chance, juvenile criminals do not complete the rehabilitation needed to enter back into society. The main reason most of my peers want children tried as children is for their safety. I have a simple solution for this though. If they are convicted, they should be brought to a juvenile housing block. This block should be inside an adult penitentiary but should be separate from adult offenders. This is primarily for the safety of those who may not be able to defend themselves against the larger adult inmates. An example of this type of jail is the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility located in Terre Haute, Indiana. This correctional facility is one that keeps its juvenile and adult inmates in separate buildings. This allows the juvenile i...
There has always been controversies as to whether juvenile criminals should be tried as adults or not. Over the years more and more teenagers have been involved in committing crimes. In some cases the juries have been too rough on the teens. Trying teens as adults can have a both positive and negative views. For example, teens that are detained can provide information about other crimes, can have an impact in social conditions, and serve as experience; however, it can be negative because teens are still not mature enough for that experience, they are exposed to adult criminals; and they will lose out on getting an education.
For example, the court has already struck down the death penalty and the life in prison without parole for juveniles or for young offenders convicted of non-homicide. According to the article, “Juveniles Don’t Deserve Life In Prison,” Paul Garinger states that “Brain imaging studies reveal that the regions of the adolescent brain that are responsible for controlling thoughts, actions, and emotions are not fully developed. They can not be held to the same standards when they commit terrible crimes.” If this is true, there is no reason to treat juveniles as adults.
Today?s court system is left with many difficult decisions. One of the most controversial being whether to try juveniles as adults or not. With the number of children in adult prisons and jails rising rapidly, questions are being asked as to why children have been committing such heinous crimes and how will they be stopped. The fact of the matter is that it is not always the children's fault for their poor choices and actions; they are merely a victim of their environment or their parents. Another question asked is how young is too young. Children who are too young to see an R rated film unaccompanied are being sent to adult prisons. The only boundaries that seem to matter when it comes to being an adult are laws that restrain kids from things such as alcohol, pornography, and other materials seen as unethical. Children that are sent to adult prison are going to be subjected to even more unprincipled ideas and scenes. When children can be sent to jail for something as minor as a smash and grab burglary, the judicial system has errors. The laws that send juveniles to adult prisons are inhumane, immoral, and unjust. Kids are often incompetent, which leads to unfair trials. Adult prisons are also very dangerous for minors, and in many cases this leads to more juvenile crimes.
A parent should not only be monitoring their child’s social media, but they should also be monitoring their child’s internet use. Perhaps if a parent would be monitoring their child’s social media, than they would have not end up on probation. Unfortunately, many juvenile’s end up on probation, but can still be treated and help so that they don’t reoffend. When a juvenile is on a probation, the probation officer could help a juvenile not lose track of their goals and end up reoffending. Teens in general need a sense of direction, and a probation officer could help juvenile offenders go on, and stay on a good path. Although it is important to treat offenders of every age, younger offenders are even more important to treat. Older offenders really