Murder In The Adolescent Mind: Murder And The Adolescent Mind

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Murder and the Adolescent Mind Voting, alcohol consumption, tattoos, use of tobacco, and even movie viewing comes with age restrictions. Why? Because, the ability of the adolescent mind to make decisions is questioned. It is debated that because of the brain still being in development juveniles lack the ability to rationalize. While determining adequate punishment for adolescent criminals we should take in account their ability to comprehend consequences as well as their ability to distinguish right from wrong. Is execution a just punishment for adolescents that commit murder? Supreme Court case Thompson v. Oklahoma ruled execution of an individual under the age of sixteen is unconstitutional. (Thompson v Oklahoma, n.d.) On January 23, 1983 …show more content…

Myelin, most commonly known as white matter is a fatty substance that coats nerve fibers. Myelin serves as an electrical insulator and aids in the speed of nerve signals. It’s essential because it effects how parts of the brain communicates with another. (Knox, 2010) Myelin connects the frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe responsible for our basic cognitive skills is also the part of the brain that controls emotions, problem solving, and gives us the ability to process consequences in deciphering right from wrong. Myelin is not fully developed in adolescents, as a result their frontal lobe is not fully connected. (Knox, 2010) This explanation fuels the argument that adolescents lack the ability of rational decision …show more content…

His undeveloped brain coupled with the abuse he received from his victim is what could’ve pushed Thompson over the edge. He didn’t have the ability to control his emotions nor process the repercussions and he acted on impulse. The frontal lobe is responsible for controlling impulsive behavior. (Crime and Adolescent Brain Development, n.d.) Thompson viewed Keene as a problem and unfortunately he chose murder as his solution, without any thought of the aftermath. Murder is a crime and every crime comes with a punishment, and that punishment should be fitting to the crime. Execution is not a fitting punishment to a child who cannot control their impulse or comprehend the consequences. Other options of punishment should be

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